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! more ›

Buried at the bottom of this story by the Examiner's Michael Neibauer (which is about whether the DMV should change under-21 driver's licenses from having the photo be in profile to having the ID itself be printed vertically instead of horizontally -- both seem fine) is this little nugget: "The proposed DMV rules would also increase the number of years, from six to 17, before a person is required to get a new driver’s license photo." While some will argue that ID photos ought to be redone more often than that, other states have successfully extended driver's license validity, cutting down on trips to the DMV and the costs associated with processing renewals. Arizona was the first state to begin such a program: Arizona driver's licenses remain valid until the driver reaches the age of 65, though they are required to obtain a new photo every 12 years. Maryland requires drivers to renew every five years, while Virginia's are valid for eight years. more ›