Welcome back to work, Washington. This week promises not only to feel longer than normal thanks to its coming on the heels of a holiday, but also hot enough that you might want to consider setting up an ad-hoc shower in your office, as there's little chance you'll get there without breaking into a sweat first. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has issued a Code Orange alert because of the heat wave, and... more ›

By DCist Contributor Matt Pelkey On the Fourth of July you light fireworks, on Memorial Day you grill hunks of meat, and on Labor Day you grill more hunks of meat. But how should you celebrate Emancipation Day this Monday? The voting rights march leaves little excuse for perverting another holiday into reason for a meaningless leisure activity. But if for some reason you can't be at the march, make up for it by heading... more ›

This stinks. Literally. more ›

Just a little public service announcement for our readers who drive. If you by any chance need to initiate or renew your vehicle registration this month and require an inspection, you'll need to get to the SW Inspection Station earlier than normal. The Half Street SW station will be observing code red heat advisory service hours beginning today and at least through Wednesday, which means they'll be opening at 5 a.m. and closing at 1... more ›

Yesterday the lineup for this year's edition of the HFStival was announced and headlining the two day festival will be Kanye West and...Counting Crows? Kanye is a no brainer but the addition of Counting Crows, in a headlining slot no less, seems to be a curious one. The band hasn't released an album of original material since 2002 and tends to have a fan base that skews much older than the Clear Channel approved... more ›

We once had a housemate who had a winter internship at the Smithsonian and worked in the Arts and Industries Building, that "2 1/2-acre fairy tale castle in polychrome brick" (according to an AIA guide) at Seventh Street SW and Independence Avenue. But during that winter, there was some concern that the 125 year-old roof couldn't support the weight of the snow. The building was closed to visitors, but was still somehow safe for workers, the intern was told at the time. The Arts and Industries Building is a showcase example of the Smithsonian's aging buildings. more ›

Amid the media attention focusing on last week's Inauguration, the Congressionally chartered home mortgage loan giant Fannie Mae announced it pulled out of its plans to move some of its staff to Southwest D.C. Hailed as one of the key pieces to spur redevelopment in the vicinity of the Waterside Mall on M Sreeet SW, a Fannie spokesman says "[t]he decision is one of several actions Fannie Mae has taken to reduce future costs in... more ›

We apologize if we're going into Inaugural overload. But when your city is effectively shut down, it is difficult to really avoid it. more ›

A federal contractor was taken to the hospital yesterday with non-life threatening stab wounds after some sort of confrontation with another employee. The USDA complex at Independence Avenue and 14th Street SW was put on lockdown as the situation was brought under control. But the details behind the stabbing are still quite sketchy, the Post reports. more ›

Veterans Day is tomorrow and the official observance of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month will bring a whole host of closures and modified schedules. Check out the District's rundown of Veterans Day events and closures. Veterans Day is rooted in Armistice Day, which remembers when the guns fell silent on the Western Front during the first World War. In a city that has memorials dedicated to Armenian earthquake victims,... more ›

There's lots going on this weekend. What are you up to? FRIDAY: -- "Team America: World Police" opens tonight at theaters everywhere. Reviews from the NYT, Post, Rotten Tomatoes -- Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players at Iota in Arlington, $12 -- Grand opening of Eclipse, an "electro, industrial, darkwave, alternative" dance night slated for the second Friday of the month at Between Friends (11th and U St). Resident DJs include Dirty B, MindCage, MissGuided, and Ras... more ›

Now that the proposed baseball stadium in Near Southeast is getting a lot of attention, other projects along the Southeast and Southwest waterfronts are being highlighted. The Post gives an update on the plans of Fannie Mae, the home mortgage giant, to consolidate its downtown and Upper Northwest offices into one large new headquarters building near the Waterfront metrorail station. Fannie Mae plans on moving into new quarters at the Waterside Mall on M Street... more ›

District animal officials interrupted a plan by a Park Road woman to “sacrifice” two chickens to mark the anniversary of her father’s death. According to the Post, the Humane Society found three sickly chickens in a dirty cage. Two had their feet bound, the other had an eye injury. Records show that the woman was cited for keeping chickens in dirty cages three years ago. Though the incident is odd, it isn't as strange as... more ›