We gotta say, Mother Nature is a moody lady. She gives us Saturday's near-perfect conditions to watch the Idiotarod in all it's idiotic glory, then follows up with Sunday's frigid bluster. This week, she's gonna drop the winter hammer again, with highs in the thirties and – dare I say – the possibility of snow. Stay tuned to DCist to see if the forecast warrants scaring up the ol' Snowpacalypse Warning System. Alleged Cocaine Dealers......

You'd think that the a city just recovering from one bout of stadium shellshock would approach building a whole other new stadium carefully. Not the District. They're looking to build two more. Today Marc Fisher updates us on two stadium projects we reported on long ago, neither of which seemed destined for completion given the legislative conniptions the D.C. Council had to go through just to get the new stadium for the Washington Nationals off......

UPDATE: Sam in the comments points out that the WMATA web site has no current service alerts posted, so it appears the Mt. Vernon Square station is now open. Anyone been over there this morning? A few more details are available from the Post this morning about yesterday's Green Line derailment, though it's still not known when the Mt. Vernon Square stop will re-open. In all 20 people were injured, all of them minor except......

Pop quiz, hotshot. Your team is up three in the waning seconds and your opponent is inbounding the ball. Do you just play defense and hope for a stop? Or do you foul before the other team can shoot a three, putting them on the line so they can't tie the game in one possession? Last night at the MCI Center, Wizards coach Eddie Jordan chose the former and his team paid for it. The......

So we knew it was coming, but now it's finally a reality. The MCI Center is no more -- say hello to the Verizon Center. Our friends at Gallery Place Living stopped by yesterday to see that the change has now been made official, with the signage on the arena finally having been changed to reflect its new corporate sponsor. Of course, the Chinese lettering doesn't seem to have changed as of yet, so bilingual......

This post was written by DCist contributor Jesse Rounds The Washington Capitals successfully started the final third of the season last night with a 5-3 win over Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. A solid game by second string goalie Brent Johnson and the first career two goal game by Matt Pettinger gave Washington the 20th win of their season. The Caps took advantage of the fact that many of the......

It was a busy weekend for college hoops in the area. By and large, it was also a successful one. George Washington clinched the regular season Atlantic 10 title, beating Fordham 78-67 at the Smith Center Saturday night. Playing without injured forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, the Colonials won their sixteenth straight game behind 19 points from sophomore guard Maureece Rice. His backcourt mates, Danilo Pinnock (17 points) and Carl Elliott (16 points) also stepped up in......

Despite defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first game back after the All Star break (that's seven of their last ten if you're counting at home), the Wiz seem to be making a lot of noise off the court as well. Today is the NBA's trading deadline, and even though the names Jared Jeffries and Etan Thomas have come up in a few rumors (one had Thomas going to Chicago for Mike Sweetney), the......

This entry was written by DCist contributor Jesse Rounds Good news has been in short supply for the Washington Capitals lately. They have lost four of the last five, with their only win coming against the up and down Toronto Maple Leafs. In the home game against the Leafs the Capitals looked strong, shutting down the Leafs offense and playing the penalty kill very well. However, back-to-back 5-0 loses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and......

With an ethics storm brewing on Capitol Hill, politicians on both sides of the aisle are serving up proposals to stem abuses in the system of lobbying for Congressional access and attention. While the final content of a finished reform bill remains very much in doubt, it does seem clear that some restrictions will be made on gifts to lawmakers, privately funded Congressional travel, and the ability of former legislators to walk through the revolving......

This post was written by DCist contributor Hayden Alfano When John Thompson III replaced Craig Esherick as head coach of Georgetown's men's basketball, Hoya alums and other Washingtonians expected a swift return to the top for the storied program. With an 87-84 win over top-ranked and previously-undefeated Duke Saturday afternoon at MCI Center, the Hoyas announced to the entire country that they're back. After controlling most of the game and leading by as much as......

March for Life Takes to National Mall: The National Mall will be a few hundred thousand people more crowded this morning, as pro-life activists participate in the annual March for Life, reports WTOP. Large sections of the Mall will be closed to traffic, including the area between Pennsylvania Avenue and Independence Avenue from Third Street to Fifteenth Street. District officials have announced that starting at 7 a.m. they will turn on their 19-camera CCTV......

FRIDAY: Thanks to Rock Creek Rambler for pointing out the monster truck rally options for this weekend. That's right, Monster Jam Monster Truck Racing is coming to the MCI Center, in all its vehicle-crushing glory. Will King Krunch stand up to Grave Digger? Will the dudes with the Bigfoot tattoos be there? Will someone explain to me why this thing wasn't scheduled on Sunday, Sun-day, SUNDAY!? Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m.......

When Verizon purchased MCI back in February 2005, Ask DCist pondered what would become of the MCI Center's name. Wonder no more; the MCI Center is slated to become -- **gasp** -- the Verizon Center by the end of March 2006. We were hoping for a more creative name, really. The MCI Center website has yet to post news of the name change. We figure that their strategic branding folks are working on a way......

When we last checked in on them, the Washington Wizards were 8-11 and facing a tough five game road trip that would go a long way in deciding the outcome of their season. After losing their first three in L.A. (to the Lakers), Portland and Seattle, the team pulled out the last two games in Denver and Phoenix, giving them some much needed momentum when they returned home to face the Lakers last night.......

Today's review was written by DCist contributor Jim Smalley, a patent examiner for the USPTO and aspiring local musician. For those who weren't living on a prayer at the MCI Center Saturday night, the Black Cat hosted a classic matchup of local music, featuring three D.C. bands each armed with their own flavor of rock n’ roll. The temptingly-diverse bill drew from all circles of D.C. society, packing the Cat with friends and fans alike.......

Whether you like the sterile, quasi-corporate feel of the newly-invigorated Chinatown or not, it's near impossible to deny how far the neighborhood has come in recent years. It's brighter, louder, crowded with life, and packed with $5.3 billion worth of development spurred by the MCI Center. But is it the city's hottest nightspot? The Examiner's Harry Jaffe -- a longtime District resident and political observer -- thinks so. In a column published yesterday, Jaffe threw......

After a rough stretch that saw them lose five games in a row and six of seven overall, the Washington Wizards rebounded (no pun intended) last night with a 96-89 win over the road weary Portland Trailblazers. The Blazers, playing the last game of a grueling seven game road swing, obviously had that not so fresh feeling after a loss Tuesday night in Philadelphia and had trouble containing the Wizards All Star duo of Gilbert......

Good morning, Washington. Today will be mostly cloudy and chilly - highs in the 60s. Matthew Bradley posted this photo to DCist photos, taken at the Dalai Lama's talk yesterday at the MCI Center. The W. Times has a short story about the talk where they report the 1-hour talk was on "compassion". Did you attend? What else did the Tibetan leader speak on? Changes on 14th Street: The Post today explores in depth the......

Good morning, Washington. If you are lucky enough to work for the government or elsewhere that follows the federal work calendar, many of you have today off in observance of Veterans Day. At Arlington Cemetery a free public wreath-laying ceremony and ceremony at the Memorial Amphitheater are planned for 11:00 a.m. If you are chained behind a desk we plan to provide the usual distractions. For more information about what's operating on a normal schedule......

>> Although it's (finally) playoff time in MLS, most of the discussion around DC United centers around 16-year-old Freddy Adu. Last week he complained publicly about his playing time, or perceived lack of it. The next day, Adu met with team officials in an effort to clear the air, but apparently he did not apologize, so he was suspended for United's playoff game on Friday against the Chicago Fire, which ended in a listless......

Last night over 250 District voting rights activists attended an event they probably all wished they wouldn't have to celebrate -- DC Vote's Champions of Democracy 2005 award ceremony. Held in the Madison Hotel along 15th Street, attendees came together to share in food, drink, and mutual indignation over an undeniable and odious injustice forced upon the city's 600,000 residents -- the inability to vote for members of Congress. Beneath the pleasant social atmosphere ran......

Monday: >> Over at Black Cat there's a Pitchfork friendly line up of mid-tempo, indie folk, with John Vanderslice, Portastatic, and Brandon Butler. There's sure to be some quality balladeering, but you'll probably want to hit the 14th Street Caribou for some caffeine beforehand. $10. >> As for us, DCist is going to see The Sentiment at DC9. They're loud, they're fun, and they let you jump on stage. On a Monday, this is what......

As we announced earlier this week, DCist is holding a photo contest to give two lucky readers tickets to the December 17 Bon Jovi concert at the MCI Center. Our logo is revved and ready to take on the town, so start submitting those clever pictures! Contest deadline is October 24.......

Interestingly enough, while the Rolling Stones performed to a full house at the MCI Center last night, a band that owes much of its success to its ability to swipe some of the Rolling Stones' swagger performed to a similarly full house over at the 9:30 Club. Last night The Black Crowes began the first of a two-day stint at the club, working their way through almost three hours of soulful Southern rock from six......

We've been to The Guards. We know how the people of D.C. feel about Bon Jovi. The hard-working, hair-grooming boys from New Jersey are currently on a world tour promoting their latest album, Have A Nice Day. On December 17, they'll make a stop at the MCI Center, and are sure to feed fans' thirst for classics like "Livin on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive." Tickets went on sale this weekend. But......

The summer duldroms are definitely over and fall's concert season is in full swing. It's a busy week in D.C. music, so get yourself to a venue and enjoy yourself. MONDAY >> The first of two sold out shows from the legendary Black Crowes at the 9:30 Club is tonight. Getting in may be hard to handle, but our good buddy Craig could lend a hand. 7:30. >> Speaking of legends, there are some other......

MONDAY: >> It's a slow concert night around town. Head over to the Black Cat's backstage for Vintage DC Punk Video Night to benefit Jobs with Justice. 9:00, $5 TUESDAY: >> South Carolina natives Jump Little Children head north and set their sights on Arlington's Iota club tonight. All classically trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, their first songs were based in Irish folk music and Delta blues, and has evolved over......

MONDAY: >> Watch a cartoon (and, according to reader comments, hipsters) come to life. Adding further cred to the notion that pop music is respectable as long as it's from another country, the wildly popular duo Puffy AmiYumi bring their unforgettable show to the 9:30 Club tonight, with opener Adam Richman. 6 p.m., $20 TUESDAY: >> Because we love A Smokey Mountain Christmas, because the original version is always better, and because there's nothing cooler......

Abandon all hope, ye who enter the Red line: there's going to be some serious track work this weekend that could affect your plans and goings-on, so listen up. A huge track rehabilitation project (something to do with, er, grout pad? Sounds uncomfortable) on the Red Line will disrupt service between Grosvenor-Strathmore and the Medical Center; the stations will remain open but without service. WMATA will operate free shuttle bus service every five minutes between......