Traditionally Christmas decorations stay up through New Year's Day, which means today is the official start of the "chucking your dried-up tree onto the sidewalk without regard for your neighbors or trash collection schedule" season. Allow DCist to help point you in the proper direction for Christmas tree disposal. more ›

Federal workers may have had Christmas Eve off of work this year, but D.C. Department of Public Works parking enforcement officers apparently did not. No matter, though: DPW says it will dismiss tickets doled out during rush hour on Dec. 24, says WTOP. DPW Director William Howland Jr. explained that the agency believes "that many people thought enforcement was lifted since federal workers were given the day off." more ›

The big day you've been waiting for with the excitement of a child all year is almost here -- the day that Santa Claus the Department of Public Works suspends residential mechanical street cleaning for the winter. Residents will be able to park freely without fear of being ticketed for being on the wrong side of the road after this Friday, Nov. 30, when “No parking/street cleaning” restrictions will be lifted. A date has not... more ›

>> The ICC has been given the green light by a federal judge who denied a request by environmental groups. [AP via WTOP] >> The District's Department of Public Works has launched a new campaign trying to get local youths not to litter so much. Maybe if they spent some of their energies putting some more trash cans on the streets, that would help. [WaPo] >> An interview with one of the D.C. firefighters... more ›

Of all the city government's agencies and departments, it's usually the big names that get the lions share of criticism from residents. The schools, the DMV, the public libraries, the Department of Public Works -- it's these that we're all quick to point to as proof of government incompetence. But with the fire that destroyed an entire building in Adams Morgan on Monday, it was the Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) that came under fire... more ›

>> Still unable to identify the oily substance that was found on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial earlier this month, the U.S. Park Police today said that it was in fact vandalism that put it there. Clean-up is expected to be slow in an effort to avoid permanent damage to the memorial. [WaPo] >> Senate Minority Leader McConnell: "My opposition to this bill rests instead on a single all-important fact: it is clearly and unambiguously... more ›

For many, the bars-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see on 18th Street in Adams Morgan is exactly what has made the neighborhood the center of the District's nightlife. For others, it's the very reason the neighborhood has started going downhill. According to the Post, the D.C. Council will vote tomorrow on whether to limit the number of taverns on the strip, potentially imposing restrictions that could force owners to close shop. Longtime area residents have complained that more and more... more ›

The D.C. Council's Committee on Public Works and the Environment voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward on legislation that would place a 3-year moratorium on single sales of alcohol at stores located between 700 to 1400 block of H Street, NE -- the same area that developers have dubbed "The Atlas District," which is now home to a number of new bars and restaurants. The proposal still requires approval by the Council, but the committee’s... more ›

On Friday the Washington Post ran a story about the city's plans to step up their graffiti removal tasks after a recent rash of tagging in Wards 1, 2 and 4. The graffiti began appearing six to eight weeks ago, stretching from the Logan and Shaw neighborhoods to communities in upper Northwest along Georgia Avenue and 13th and 14th streets. Banneker Community Center near Howard University, under renovation, was among the places hit. But the... more ›

Yesterday the WashTimes ran a story on a bill being introduced by D.C. Council member Jim Graham that would give budgetary oversight of the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority to the D.C. CEO CFO, Natwar Gandhi. This morning, the WaPo follows up with a story comparing the bill to Fenty's school takeover plan -- essentially the WASA board, much like the D.C. school board, would become mere advisors to their own budget process, while Gandhi's... more ›

Our friends over at OffSeventh are, if you pardon the expression, losing their shit over some pet owners' inability to pick up after their pooches. They're up in arms over a monumental amount of dog waste occupying a strip of sidewalk on 9th Street. The city is littered with signs warning people to curb their dogs, or face a weighty ticket. Yet it's clear that a few dog walkers still aren't scooping the poop.... more ›

It might be one of the most disheartening experiences in Washington. You leave your house one day, walk out to your car, and you see a big piece of paper on the windshield. "Please tell me the clubs have just gotten more aggressive with their advertising," you think to yourself, but no, it says, "DO NOT MOVE THIS CAR." You rush to the street side of your vehicle only to find 40 pounds of orange... more ›

Last June we reported that the Georgetown waterfront, which has never been much of a gem, was finally starting to take shape. Specifically, the Georgetown Waterfront Park, three decades in the making, had finally jumped through the last of its bureaucratic hoops and would soon see a parking lot coverted to green space. But for what was left of 2006, nothing much happened. The parking lot remained. Late last week we saw that the parking... more ›

It's time for another episode of Snowpocalypse! And this time, Mayor Fenty has declared a Snow Emergency. From DC.gov's release: In response to recent and ongoing predicted snow fall amounts, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, along with the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Department of Public Works (DPW) have scheduled a Snow Emergency starting at 3 pm Sunday afternoon. Forecasters are now calling for of 3-4 inches of snow possibly mixing... more ›

>> Yeah, you. You need to stay late tonight to make up for the crazy amount of time you're about to have off. That's right, those of us who do not work for the Federal Government are currently glaring up a storm at those of you who do, because the word from on high is now official: President Bush has declared January 2 as the official day of mourning for President Ford, which means Federal... more ›

If you're from D.C., like me, the one great thing about the holidays is that you never have to travel, and all your old friends come to you for a week or two, and that week or two turn into dozens of debaucherous, memory-filled nights, telling stories about the times you used to hang out at Amphora Diner in Vienna (anyone else? Anyone?). Unfortunately, I had one of those nights last night, so you're... more ›

The mildest December in recent memory looks to continue on for a little while longer, but don't expect actually enjoyable weather between now and Christmas Day. Instead, overcast skies and drizzly rain are settling in to the metro area, just in time to make the holiday feel slightly less merry (though maybe a little more like that thing called winter we keep hearing about). You still don't need that long underwear you asked Santa for,... more ›

It's been a tradition since time immemorial (or at least since pagan days): the Christmas tree. A reader getting into the holiday spirit wondered where to get their piney living room centerpiece in the city, since it's probably frowned upon to take a saw to some trees in Rock Creek Park. Thankfully, at least for those among us with the Christmas spirit, trees are available all over the city. Here's a few of our... more ›

At one point or another, we've all had something we picked up off the street. Be it a couch someone needed to rid themselves of, an old picture frame, even a ratty yet functioning toaster oven -- look hard enough, and the District's sidewalks and the stuff people put on them can serve to furnish or decorate your house. But when does someone's free giveaway become someone else's garbage? We can't just dump trash bags... more ›

This afternoon a loyal DCist reader sent us along a complaint, and some pictures to boot. Apparently police officers at a First District substation on Capitol Hill have a tendency to ignore the very parking rules District residents are forced, by fear of ticket, to follow. He writes: A typical day at the First District Substation. Their jobs are so important, they can park their private cars anywhere they darn well please. Think about... more ›

Gallery Place/Chinatown is the place to be in the District these days. There's a bowling alley and a Bed Bath & Beyond among many other attractions, and there may even be a pool hall and wax museum in the near future. But what are there not enough of? According to the Post, garbage cans. Apparently the thousands of residents and daily visitors to the lively neighborhood have few places to dispose of their garbage, leaving... more ›

This week at DCist we checked in on the long lost bloggers of D.C. Wire and found them wandering in the wilderness of the mayoral race. We looked ahead to the first "Battle of the Beltway," and we watched as voting rights for D.C. made it past another small but important hurdle. Conspiracy theorists note: DCist commands the Department of Public Works. Also, stripper problems continue to plague lacrosse teams, and Mayor Williams swears... more ›

It seems that the District Department of Public Works is about to wave the white flag in the battle against litter. In an announcement posted today on the District's official website, DPW reminds residents that fighting litterbugs is "still an annual struggle" and asks for ideas on how to better wage the war. As a starting point, they link to a 2004 survey of litter and anti-litter efforts in New Jersey, indicating that some of... more ›

The church parking debate, once the province of irate residents and their neighborhood listservs, has gone mainstream -- D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams took it on yesterday at his weekly press briefing. The Washington Times is reporting that Williams brushed the issue aside, claiming it was his right as the city's chief executive to arbitrarily enforce District parking laws. Claimed Williams: There's a zone of discretion for the executive...especially when it comes to something broad and... more ›

Yes, we do feel mildly ashamed that we had to reference an Ashton Kutcher movie in the title, but given the news, it's relatively fitting. According to an article in the Washington Times, an audit of the division of the D.C. Department of Public Works that oversees city-owned vehicles found that it hasn't done that great a job keeping track of them -- all told, some 13 vehicles have been outright lost over the years.... more ›

Yesterday we explored the contentious issue of double-parking around area churches on Sundays. Many commenters echoed a basic question we asked: Since double-parking is against the law, why don't police officers crack down on it, churchgoer or otherwise? Today the Washington Times has provided us with an answer. Straight from the mouth of Mary Myers, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works, which is charged with enforcing District parking regulations: I think overall there... more ›

This will be a much-needed weekend of rest for D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams. Beyond the usual daily toil of making sure the city doesn't descend into a state of uncontrollable anarchy, Mayor Williams took to the streets this week to engage in a little old-fashioned manual labor. On Tuesday Williams donned protective attire and sprayed away graffiti in Dupont Circle, part of his response to the millionth call the Mayor's Citywide Call Center has received... more ›

The mystery is no more. Given any other circumstances, the item from the police blotter wouldn't have attracted much attention. Three young men arrested late at night, charged with defacing public property. But these were no ordinary circumstances. This was Borf, the infamous grafitti artist who for months had taken to the streets in the District and Virginia -- and even as far as San Francisco -- leaving behind scribbles, scrawls, and stencils that... more ›

Safety tool or unwarranted invasion of privacy? Necessary law enforcement device or shameless moneymaking scheme? These may be some of the questions that city councilmembers ask today in a hearing dedicated to the issue of cameras in law enforcement. The Council's Committee on Public Works and the Environment, chaired by Carol Schwartz (R-At Large), is debating legislation introduced by Schwartz, Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), and Sharon Ambrose (D-Ward 6) concerning the District's six-year old program... more ›

We hope you had a nice weekend. This photo, posted by the Post's Keith Jenkins in DCist Photos, shows motorcyclists with a dog in the sidecar and U.S. and Marine Corps flags. Many of the memorials and monuments on both sides of the Potomac were packed with people honoring those who have fallen in current and past wars. For a transcript of President Bush's Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery, click here. Now on... more ›