Yesterday, we posted the above photo and wondered why more than a handful of officers were needed to handle an issue with a hot dog cart near the Federal Center SW Metro station. Turns out it was probably an exercise. more ›

They say ignorance is bliss and perhaps visiting D.C. Department of Health’s new foray into transparency isn’t for the faint of heart. For the adventuresome souls among us, D.C. health officials have put health inspections notices from the past three years online. “This website was developed so you may learn more about the food establishments from the perspective of safe food handling, or food safety,” says a statement on the site. more ›

DCist reader Jon in Brookland sent in this image of an odd-looking inspection sticker he received from the District government. He wanted to know if it might be a fake, since he'd read about the con artist who has been allegedly posing as a Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs inspector in several D.C. neighborhoods lately. Jon's plumbers had also told him they'd already received a green "approved" sticker for the work they were doing at his property, so this indeed seemed fishy. What exactly is the "Department and Land Regulation Administration," anyway? more ›

Yesterday Mayor Fenty announced a new Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs program that will put all 4,800 apartment buildings in the District on a mandatory four-year inspection cycle (two years if inspectors find substantial code violations). Before now, DCRA inspections only occurred after tenants reported problems. The program is being touted as a more proactive way to protect residents, particularly low income ones, from slumlords. (Check out Hamil Harris's story in the Post for an amusing anecdote from the presser, which took place at a Southeast apartment building that Fenty was holding up as an inspection success story. Harris reports that city officials appeared "taken by surprise" by a group of residents who interrupted the mayor to point out existing code violations in the building.) more ›

Do you own a car and have it registered in the District of Columbia? If so, you've already been through the nightmare of attempting to get your vehicle inspected at the District's only inspection facility at 1001 Half Street SW. Many of you have complained that there has to be a more efficient way to conduct inspections - well, now there is. WTOP reports that the D.C. DMV is now accepting reservations for appointments at the inspection station between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. One word of advice though, for those of you with ESP: appointments scheduled during a major heat wave could get bumped. more ›

WTOP is reporting that emergency crane inspections are already underway in the District after a deadly crane collapse in New York City this morning. more ›