Stadium Opponents Fill Council Chambers: A public hearing on the District’s baseball stadium plan was contentious as opponents, who held a rally outside prior to the D.C. City Council’s meeting on the matter, packed the Wilson Building chamber. Police removed a few vocal opponents who interrupted the proceedings.

Mayor Anthony Williams, who didn’t testify, said bluntly that the plan would go through. From the Post:

“It’s going to happen,” Williams said, although the project requires the approval of the 13-member council. Asked why he chose not to testify, Williams said: “Everyone knows my views. It’s important that people disassociate their opinions of baseball from their opinions of me.”

Then more excitement. Marion Barry walked into the chamber six and a half hours after the hearing started. Applause broke out. He said that the baseball stadium plan “is the biggest stickup by Major League Baseball since Jesse James was doing train robberies.”

New Cars + Bad Maintenance = Derailment: This is not a nerve-soothing lede to read if you’re a metrorail rider. From the Post:

Metro officials said yesterday that four train derailments over the past 18 months, including one at Silver Spring in August, probably were caused by a combination of poor maintenance and problems with a new type of rail car.

But then the Post calms us down.

Metro officials said all four derailments involved new 5000 series rail cars, occurred on side tracks and involved trains with no passengers aboard operating at speeds of 5 to 10 mph that were making tight turns on tracks that were not properly lubricated.

So, while this isn’t soothing news, it doesn’t seem to be that big of a threat to the riding public.
>> DCist on metrorail’s ailments.

Briefly Noted: Carol Schwartz, an at-large member on the D.C. City Council, is demanding answers on massive problems plaguing DMV vehicle renewal notices … D.C. will deploy “intersection cops” to key junctions downtown during rush hour to keep traffic from gridlocking … 23 of the D.C. school bus drivers who called in sick during a massive sick-out were fired and more firings could come … I-395 was a massive headache this morning, but it is reopened … D.C. should expect long lines at the polls on Tuesday …