Good morning, Washington. We imagine that by now you may have already heard about the fallout over 84 year-old Maryland Comptroller William Schaeffer’s inappropriate remarks to one of Governor Ehrlich’s female staffers. Schaeffer was initially unapologetic, but Ehrlich says that he later expressed regret — although it’s not clear whether he has yet apologized to the young woman in question. The Post covers the issue here; ABC 7 has video of the incident here.
Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Tactics Prompt National Scorn: The Post reports on the nationwide backlash that has greeted the revelation of Spotsylvania County’s unorthodox police tactics. For those who haven’t heard: county officers apparently received sexual services in massage parlors during prostitution sting operations. The aspiring Jimmy McNultys claim the practice was necessary, as Virginia prostitution law generally requires verbal self-incrimination that’s not possible with suspects who don’t speak English. The county’s sheriff and chief prosecutor have defended the practice, likening it to police buying drugs in narcotics stings. However, at the instruction of their superiors, the officials say the tactic will no longer be used.
Fairfax Attacks Organized, Slightly Less Organized Crime: WTOP reports that the county’s police are on something of a hot streak. Yesterday brought news of eight arrests targeting the Bansal crime family and eleven arrests of suspected area gang members.
Is There A Real-Estate-Bubble-Article Bubble?: The City Paper takes a series of short but interesting looks at the the city’s housing market. You know the essential points: realtors say nothing’s slowed down, media say the market’s cooled, and renters like you and me will be lucky to ever own anything closer than the inaptly-named Urbana. But the CP adds a least a few new — and weird — factoids. Among their list of the bubble’s causes: the closing of Yum’s on 14th Street, and the creation of a now-defunct quarterly arts webzine. Hmm. UPDATE: Looks like this story is older than we thought; as of last night, the CP’s website made it look like it had just been posted. Readers should be aware that it’s actually from last week’s edition.
Briefly Noted: Cropp campaign to be audited … Maintenance worker rescues handicapped woman from burning building … Tom Knott takes on Borf … Californian is lead candidate to helm P.G. County schools … Rare bird born at zoo, fails to mount serious challenge for cuteness mantle … Study attributes 700 deaths per year to Md. coal plants … Seventeen year-old questioned in forced bank robberies. .. Maryland firefighters get into brawl on the job.
Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user ohad*.
