The MPD says this new number should be used to make anonymous tips to the police about homicides, gangs, guns, or other violent offenses. More interestingly, they've also set up a text message service to do the same job. Texting to the number 50411 will allow anyone with a cell phone to text tips to the MPD. Get it? 5-0 411?

Give 5-0 the 411 with the new Text Tip Line: 50411. Text messages are monitored by members of the department 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tips are then analyzed and passed on to the appropriate unit or division for follow-up.

Everyone knows by now that talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving in the District is illegal -- even if it is a poorly enforced and largely ignored law. But given the increasing popularity of SMS (and really, who actually talks on the phone anymore? I recently found myself incredibly frustrated that a close friend left me a voicemail. Who leaves garbled voicemail when you can shoot a quick, clear text? You want me to call who? Just send me a text, ZOMG!!1!), what's the rule on the arguably more dangerous practice of texting while driving? Turns out, there is none, and in Virginia at least, some legislators would like to change that. more ›

Good morning, Washington. Well, it couldn't last forever: this week's temperatures are edging up after all. And while things are still relatively pleasant, tomorrow's high of 98 still sounds unappealing to our recently-spoiled selves. D.C. Goes After Posters: WJLA brings encouraging news for anyone who's been sorry to see a lingering ad for a years-passed protest event: the city government is cracking down those who illegally post notices on traffic and utility boxes. Among... more ›

From the tallest skyscraper in the City of Brotherly Love to Canadian tourism copywriting brilliance, here's what you should know from our -ist cities: This week, Phillyist took a gleeful listen to the White Stripes' exciting new release, watched in awe as their new tallest skyscraper was finally completed, found a cheaper way to get to Gothamist, invented a tasty new dessert, and brought back their Craigslist Round-Up feature with a bang. Bostonist watches... more ›

Forgive our light content so far this morning, faithful readers, but we were forced to flee DCist Headquarters about 2 hours ago in search of the welcoming embrace of friends with working electricity and Internet access. Not only is much of the Shaw neighborhood currently experiencing intermittent power outages, but one surge may have permanently damaged this editor's lap top (cue the tiny violins). Only time, or a certified PC technician, will tell. Now happily... more ›

We're sorry, but our Metro-checking SMS service is going to have to go offline for a bit. Maintaining a service that's dependent on the vagaries of other folks' websites has proven to be a tall order, and it looks like our attempt to deal with the recent modifications to WMATA's RideGuide site brought some problems along with them: two users started receiving unwanted SMSes. That's obviously no good. We want the service to make your life less annoying, not more. So we're pulling the whole thing down until we can replicate the problem and resolve it. Sorry for the inconvenience! more ›

It's cold out there, eh Washington? But apparently not cold enough to stop the notorious Vienna Pants Grabber, who NBC4 is reporting may be branching out from his favorite Metro stop to area apartment complexes. Freaky. Can everyone take good look at those two composite sketches so we can get this jackass off the streets? Thank you. more ›

Apologies for the inconvenience, but it looks like LastCall, our SMS service, is feeling a bit under the weather. More specifically, the portion of the service that reports Metro times has come down with a nasty bug that prevents it from returning usable data. Until we can fix it, we've set it to return an explanatory message instead. more ›

We're a pretty wired bunch here at DCist, and we imagine that you are, too. Do you get appointments in iCal from Upcoming.org via RSS and use Google Maps to plot your path there? Of course you do. But what about those odd occasions when you're not by a computer? It's a living hell, we know. Well, we're here to help. Toward that end, we're happy to present LastCall Beta, our effort to make the... more ›