Still in the office, D.C.? Yeah, us too. We hope you're only sticking around because you don't need to travel this holiday season. If so, enjoy the empty halls, bask in the quiet, and call it a day early. If not — well, good luck on the roads and at the airport. It sounds like they're going to be predictably nasty. There Seems To Be Some Sort of Holiday Occurring: And consequently you can......

Good Morning, D.C. Remember the news we told you about back in August, about an investigation into a potential prostitution ring at D.C. firehouses? Well D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin acknowledged yesterday under fire from the D.C. Council that "sex for overtime" allegations in his department are "potentially true." The Council also expressed concern about the abnormally high rate of disciplinary action against African American firefighters in the department. African Americans were the subjects of......

Although Gist has been around with varying lineups for almost twenty years, the current lineup of singer/guitarist Nayan Bhula, bassist Finley Martin and drummer Fred Burton have only been together for the past five. In that short time they've released two albums, Art is Now Human and Diesel City, the latter of which established them as an act whose sound could be simultaneously tied to the district and reflect their diverse backgrounds and influences,......

Written by DCist contributor Brett Gellman The Maryland Terrapins (4-2, 1-1) take on the 19th ranked Virginia Cavaliers (6-1, 3-0) in a nationally televised homecoming contest tomorrow night at College Park in what is shaping up to be the best ACC matchup of the entire day, and yes, that includes Miami-FSU. The Terps, who are coming off a much-needed bye week, squeaked out a 28-26 victory against Georgia Tech two weeks ago after Travis Bell’s......

In the wake of the tragedy at Virginia Tech earlier this year, it's been reported all over the world today that two 17-year-old students were shot in an incident at Delaware State University last night. Both students, a male and a female whose names have not been released, were originally from the Washington, D.C. area. The male student is in stable condition, but the female’s injuries are listed as serious. The campus remained locked-down today......

By no means am I strictly an NFL guy. When the lights dim after the Super Bowl each year, I seamlessly move with the seasons into the maelstrom of college hoops and then the long, drawn-out, slow-motion marketing fantasia that is the NBA. Over a lifetime, I’ve soured on baseball but stayed constant to soccer, the sport I participated in myself as a child, with engrossingly mediocre results. But then, the NFL comes around again......

Good morning, Washington. An estimated 10,000 people attended the dedication Sunday of the official memorial for the 32 victims killed at Virginia Tech on April 16. Students at the university, about four hours outside D.C., begin classes for the fall semester today. On the same day as the dedication, about 23 Virginia Tech students living in an off-campus apartment building were taken to hospitals after showing signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Several of the......

Good day, Washington. Are you getting tired of this gorgeous weather yet? Yeah, us neither. As you work out the kinks in your upcoming Memorial Day Weekend plans, we wish you good luck and delight in describing the rest of this week and weekend ahead as forecast to be sunny and hot enough to give you that sunburn you've been hoping for. We're also putting together a few ideas for last-minute day trips for those......

Enrollment at Virginia Tech will be strong and steady this fall even after the shootings that killed 33 people on April 16 made international headlines. From the Roanoke Times: Tech received deposits from 5,215 students planning to enroll as freshmen this fall. That's up from 5,185 last year. The school has a target of 5,000 students after the first week of classes. Last year's initial group dropped to 5,084 by that time last year. The......

From the front page of this morning's Washington Post, it seems the last person anyone expected to be right about anything, perennial whack-a-doo mayoral candidate Faith, wasn't actually that far off the mark during last year's campaign: Chocolate City is rapidly becoming Vanilla Villa. The District of Columbia will likely no longer be majority-African American within the next 13 years. The 14 percent increase in non-Hispanic white District residents and 6 percent decrease in blacks......

Hey, Washington, how are ya? If you like hot weather and uninterrupted sunshine (and who doesn't) you're sure to enjoy this fine Tuesday. If instead you're not savoring the thought of arriving at work covered in a fine sheen of sweat, think twice about cutting out your walk by hopping in the car. Gas prices hit a new high yesterday, with the cost of a gallon over $3.00. Are there any good deals at......

Over five years ago the Newseum shut its doors in its Rosslyn neighborhood and started laying down bricks on Pennsylvania Avenue. The venue dedicated to the First Amendment is still on schedule for its grand opening this October, and in the meantime has been stoking its coffers with donations from news makers all over the country. This week they received their biggest gift so far, $15 million from The Annenberg Foundation. Newseum will name its......

Welcome to May, Washington. It's beautiful outside and will stay that way throughout the week. In fact, checking WUSA's weather forecast this morning, we smiled at all the pretty suns and mild temperatures. The clearest meteorological message, though, is the helpful "Warm" and "Nice" written neatly across the image. Not too shabby. It's also nice weather for balloting. Today, voters in Wards Four and Seven head to the polls to elect new D.C. council members.......

>> Tomorrow D.C. United players will be sporting special maroon jerseys in honor of Virginia Tech. After the game, all 18 shirts will be signed by a player and auctioned, with the proceeds going to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund which provides assistance to victims and their families along with grief counseling and other "comfort expenses". >> Tax hikes may force Trimper Rides, one of the oldest businesses in Ocean City, to close shop.......

This week we begin a new feature highlighting our favorite comments of the week. DCist is nothing without our readers, whose thoughtful and often entertaining contributions help make this a vibrant community. Whether you disagree with us, share tips or just have a unique take on life in Washington, keep those comments coming. We couldn't do it without ya. This week, fuzzy recollections of the Eighties, perils of D.C. residency, mainstream media critiques and more.......

In the wake of last Monday's deadly shootings at Virgina Tech, many local college students are discussing campus security and the implications for their schools. In addition to holding a slew of vigils and showing support for their peers in Blacksburg, collegians wonder how such a tragedy could occur on American campuses and what university officials are doing to protect their students. American University administrators are taking a second look at their emergency response plan,......

With all that went down this week, we thought we thought we'd cheer everyone up by giving everyone a double dose of dogs. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions this week at DCist. Like the rest of country, we were floored by the news of so many dead coming out of Virginia Tech, and with so many of the victims and their relatives from the D.C. area, we felt it important to pay......

This morning our local ABC affiliate, WJLA, decided to stop showing the disturbing images sent to NBC News by Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung Hui. The package of still photos and videos was sent by Cho in the hours between the first and second shootings and show him wielding the murder weapons and delivering obscenity-laced diatribes. Since the footage was released on Wednesday, it has flooded TV screens, prompting some viewers and victims' family......

>> Sen. John McCain probably wishes he didn't sing "bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boy's "Barbara Ann" at a meeting with supporters. Or at least he wishes it wasn't captured on YouTube. [via Reason's Hit & Run] >> Local groups continue to schedule memorials to the victims of Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech. You can find a good list of Washington-area events here. [NBC4] >> Tickets for both Wilco and the......

Wednesday brought more developments in the Virginia Tech shootings that left 33 people dead, including the gunman, Cho Seung Hui -- a South Korean citizen who grew up in the Washington suburb of Centreville, Va. In addition to the teachers who have come forward saying they alerted the administration over a year ago about Cho's behavior, today more people described him as a loner who barely spoke to his class- and suite-mates. Several said he......

Today, Washington is still dealing with the aftermath of losing so many area residents at Virginia Tech and trying to grasp the scope of Monday's events. Even those not connected to the school have been moved to prayer and shows of support. In situations like these, many of us feel powerless, yet some gain strength by joining others to reflect and remember. Yesterday students at UVa, Georgetown, Galluadet, Howard, UMd, Catholic University, American, UDC, GW......

We're continuing to update the list of 32 people killed in Monday's massacre, as those names are confirmed by the Associated Press. The Post has some touching profiles of some of the victims. Feel free to continue sharing your thoughts and memories with the DCist community here. While we at DCist are heartbroken by these events, there is hope in the tremendous strength being shown by students and families, as well as stories of......

Good morning, Washington. As you might imagine, the news is still dominated by coverage of the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech on Monday. Many of the shooter's writings have been found and are being pored over; with classes canceled for the week and many students heading home, it seems likely that today's news cycle will focus on the killer and his motives. Governor Kaine has also ordered an independent investigation into the school's......

The aftermath of tragic events always bring stories of harrowing plight and exemplary heroism to the fore. Instinctively, one recoils at pointing up any one single story for the fear of diminishing others--and in the wake of yesterday's horrifying tragedy at Virginia Tech we're sure to hear many stories that will test the limits of what we can bear. But one story that has emerged today has stuck with us, all the same. It has......

>> In wake of yesterday's tragedy, Virginia Tech has canceled most of its spring sports events. [ABC 7] >> Two Secret Service officers have been injured in an accidental shooting outside the White House, inside the southwest gate security booth. Secret Service spokeswoman Kim Bruce said one officer was injured in the leg and the other received a shrapnel wound in his face. It's not clear how the accidental shooting took place. The Secret Service......

Police have now confirmed that the man responsible for yesterday's horrific murder of 32 people at Virginia Tech is Cho Seung-Hui, 23, who grew up in Centreville, Va. Cho, a citizen of South Korea, graduated from Westfield High School in Fairfax County in 2003. As well, several of the students killed were from Northern Virginia suburbs, including Mary Read, 19, Reema Samaha, 18, Erin Peterson, 18, Leslie Sherman, 20, and Emily Hilscher,19. The Post has......

Yesterday several thousand hearty Washingtonians, DCist included, went to the Hill to demand equal voting rights. While the shortened rally was in and of itself a success, good times were also to be had at a post-march reception hosted by Sen. Joe Lieberman at the Dirksen Senate Office Building. There, a few intrepid DCists even got to chat with Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (pictured above with, from left to right, Sommer Mathis, Martin Austermuhle......

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has declared a state of emergency in the Commonwealth after 32 people, mostly students, were killed today in two shootings at Virginia Tech University. Dozens are still hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor to critical. The tragedy is being called the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Officials say the assailant, described as an Asian man in his 20s, took his own life after the second attack. The first shooting happened......

One person is dead and several others are wounded after two shootings at Virginia Tech University. Police have one person in custody, but fear that there might be another shooter still on the campus. The two shootings took place two hours apart. The first shooting took place on the fourth floor at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dorm that houses almost 900 students, mostly freshmen. It's being reported that the second incident took place near......

College basketball fans on the Hilltop and in College Park are pleased, while the ones in Foggy Bottom probably wish they hadn't turned on the TV. The Hoyas pounded Belmont and will face Boston College, while the Terps handled Davidson and will face Butler, and the Colonials were clobbered by Vanderbilt, losing by 33. And over at the DCist Reader-Staff Bracketfest, Kyle Mahaney is in the lead, having picked every game except Butler over......