Former Editor-in-Chief Ryan Avent begins a new weekly opinion column on neighborhood issues today. To many central city residents, the suburban enterprise can seem a quixotic one, and the suburbanite a perplexing character. Pressing ever outward, he seeks to leave behind the impedimenta of urban life, only to find that the more pristine his new surroundings, the faster and thicker does the baggage of congestion gather around him. Almost immediately he finds that his new... more ›

Forget Paris. There's no stage more iconic to the Tour de France than the one that includes the brutal Alpe d'Huez. The steep "hors categorie" ascent up the Alpine peak to end the stage separates potential champions from mere mortals, as the weak fall away from the peloton and the expert climbers push ahead through the fan-crowded hills. In other words, even if you're not so addicted to the Tour that you TiVo coverage of... more ›

Right now both the Nats and DC United are planning to leave RFK Stadium in the next few years. That will leave his landmark empty and unused. The probable outcome is that it will be knocked down. Instead, I suggest building and hosting greyhound racing once a week inside the stadium. A track could be built pretty easily and without a lot of cost. It would allow use to continue to use the stadium in some fashion and enjoy a sport that is a lot of fun to watch. Unlike other greyhound parks, RFK could be turned into a kid friendly avenue where people who come to the park are educated about pets and their care, etc. Since there is nothing like this anywhere nearby, the dogs could be sponsored - potentially raising money for other government programs.

If you are a Red Line commuter who is planning to stay in the District this coming Labor Day weekend, watch out: construction at the future New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet University metrorail station, aka NewYoFla, will shut down the Red Line between Union Station and Fort Totten. If you are Silver Spring or College Park commuter, WMATA adivses you to use the Green Line (via Fort Totten) to access the center city at Gallery Place-Chinatown. If you happen to be a student at Catholic University, or resident using the Brookland-CUA or Rhode Island Avenue metrorail stations, a shuttle bus will service those locales. more ›