Remember those billboards that popped up in the 1980s that counted up the national debt, dollar by dollar? Pretty scary, huh? Well, District voting rights activists want something similar for their cause. Today the D.C. Council held a hearing on legislation that would allow the city to place two large LED billboards -- one outside the John A. Wilson Building and the other outside the new Washington Nationals stadium -- that would display the amount... more ›

There’s something totally undeniable about the music of Bellman Barker. From the moment they hit the stage, toes start tapping. A verse or two in, heads start bobbing. By the time they hit the chorus, you’ll find yourself wanting to jump up and down like a kid who’s had too much sugary cereal for breakfast. Their recorded output has been compared to late-period Belle & Sebastian and rightfully so—these local lads clearly worship at the same altar of 60s pop. In a live setting, however, the songs take on a life of their own, with the bouncy verses and wide-open choruses adding up to something more power pop than twee. Rest assured, there’s still no shortage of vocal harmonies, a whole lot of handclaps and more than a few “Oohs” and “Aahs”. DCist caught up with lead singer and guitarist Aaron Estes to talk about the years he spent working as a Blackjack dealer, the unsung heroes of Motown and the secrets of the handlebar mustache. Check out the full interview after the break. Visit them online at: myspace.com/bellmanbarker See them next at: The Velvet Lounge, October 27th ("Halloween Spectacular") Buy their EP at: CDs at MySpace / MP3s at Amie St. more ›

Former Editor-in-Chief Ryan Avent writes a weekly column about neighborhood and development issues. It was good that the lunch keynote didn’t last any longer; I was ready to hand Jim Abdo a check. Those of us on the academic side of the development industry aren’t used to such raw displays of enthusiasm. After following Abdo through his slide presentation on the history of his business and the mammoth project he’s begun on New York Avenue... more ›

No Paper Crowns for the Guests The Majestic—the latest addition to Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong's Alexandria empire—held its preview party last night, and DCist was in the house. The King Street restaurant was packed with all your various foodie types mauling the chef and owners, mugging for the roving photographers, and swilling both wine and gossip. With such a high density of gastronauts, I'm sure Majestic's owners would have rather been serving up their food... more ›

You might know him as, “the handsome grandson,” “the outta work superhero,” or by the name on his birth certificate, “Dathan Harbor.” But chances are you’ve never heard of Flex Mathews by any of his many monikers. You may have no idea that, since he moved to D.C. in 2002, a rising star has been right under your nose. The rest of the country seems to be noticing. In 2005, URB magazine named Flex one... more ›

It isn't easy being the District. While we District residents pride ourselves on living in a city that is diverse and dynamic, the rest of the country tends to lump us together with the federal government that shares our geographic space. Call it guilt by association -- Congress wastes money and the president lies, and suddenly everyone who lives within the city limits has something to do with federal excesses and excuses. This couldn't be... 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 ›

Share Our Strength Benefit For Katrina Victims August 29 will mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall, but clean-up, rebuilding, and resettling are still taking place. Charity group Share Our Strength will observe the date by holding Restaurants for Relief, an event in which restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to help recovery efforts and to end childhood hunger along the Gulf Coast. Almost 90 restaurants in the metro area plan to... more ›

Before we kick off this week's suggestions, a quick note about Sunday's show at the Black Cat. The Lovely Feathers were good, Dr Dog was great, and The Spinto Band was freakin phenomenal. What a tremendous bunch of characters those guys are, we haven't seen head shaking like that since That Thing You Do. TUESDAY: >> We'll be honest -- we can't exactly picture Trent Reznor playing in an amphitheater. But it's a plan so... more ›

There are lots of good reasons to ride Metro when moving about the city. It's cheaper and easier than buying and maintaining a car, it's good for the environment, and it teaches patience. Perhaps the best reason to be a regular user of rail transport, however, is because placing oneself on or near a roadway in the metropolitan area will get you all smashed up with a probability approaching 1. The Associated Press reports today... more ›

DCist's regular Overheard editor is too busy enjoying her kid-free Paris vacation to amuse readers today, so I've had to pick up the slack. Call us cynical if you want, but we're filing this week's Quote of the Week under the "Ain't it the Truth" category of humor. As always, if you happen to overhear something amusing, for god sake's, don't keep it to yourself! Send it in to overheardindc (at) gmail (dot) com. Quote... more ›

It’s Tuesday. No, it doesn’t have the mid-week "hump” status of Wednesday, nor does it have the festive vibe of a Friday, but it’s Tuesday, and we love it all the same. With a study claiming that pervasive American melancholy is a myth and today shaping up to be a mostly sunny day with a high of 47 degrees, things aren’t so bad. more ›

Supporters of President Ronald Reagan tried to name a street in the District after him. But failing at that, they've opted for the next best thing -- dedicating a day to his legacy in Virginia. The Washington Times is reporting today that squeaky-clean Republican activist Grover Norquist submitted a request to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's Office of Constituent Services that February 6 -- the Gipper's birthday -- be designated "Ronald Reagan Day." Kaine politely declined,... more ›

2:15 a.m. ... It all hung on Ohio or it may still hang on Ohio. Some media outlets have put Ohio in the Bush column, but it appears that the Kerry camp hasn't given up all hope yet. Ohio's 20 electoral votes may be up in the air for days. There are still ballots to be counted. But right now, it appears that George W. Bush will be re-elected and Sen. John Kerry of... more ›

As the nation watches election returns come in, much of D.C. is watching the state of play in key Congressional races. Go to the jump for updated results ... Photo of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton speaking at the Dems' party at the Capital Hilton from a DCist operative on the ground at the hotel... more ›

Grab your electoral maps political junkies and keep tabs on when each state will be called. We've compiled a list of when each state closes its polls. For more detailed info, check here. 6 p.m. EST. Polls close in Kentucky and Indiana. 7 p.m. EST. Polls close in Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. 7:30 p.m. EST. Polls close in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia. 8 p.m. EST. Polls close... more ›

It's Election Night. The thousands of polls; the elevation of towns like Wausau, Wis., to the national stage; the negative natterings of the nabobs -- it all comes down to this. Millions will be glued to the TV to (hopefully) watch the media put an endcap on what has seemed like the longest election campaign ever. And whether they come from Fox News to CNN, the great white board of Tim Russert at NBC to... more ›

While the race for the White House will dominate the Election Night coverage, the future of the Senate hangs in the balance tomorrow as voters in a handful of states will determine who will control the chamber. But the Republicans seem that they will likely hold on to their majority, though it will be very slim. South Dakota: After the Bush-Kerry matchup, all eyes will be on the Mount Rushmore State. There, former Rep. John... more ›

That huge ad on the Post's website is hard to miss. Amtrak is celebrating the unveiling of its new website with lower fares. So if you're heading to New York anytime soon, or anywhere else for that matter on Amtrak (except South Dakota and Wyoming, they are the only lower 48 states without train service ... sorry Rapid City and Cody), you can get 10 percent off. But that's not on Acela or Metroliner, so... more ›

The D.C. Public Library will feature Ronald McDonald as part of its "Summer Quest: Readers Rule" summer reading program for schoolchildren. Is this an innocent tactic to get young children excited about reading, or an evil ploy by the McDonald's corporation to hook kids on their fatty foods? After seeing Super Size Me, DCist isn't slightly suspicious ...Ronald McDonald at DC Public Library Ronald McDonald will visit children participating in the D.C. Public Library's Summer... more ›