And a happy Friday morning to you, Washington. Heads up: Metro’s Yellow Line from King Street to Mt. Vernon Square will not be running this weekend due to track maintenance starting tonight at 10 p.m. Folks will be forced off at King Street, and those going between Mt. Vernon Square and L’Enfant Plaza will be forced to ride the Green Line. Things are expected to be running back on schedule by Monday morning.
Large Part of $8 Million for Police Overtime Spent: In case you were wondering just how much of the $8 million in overtime pay that was approved by the D.C. Council to help fight the crime wave, it looks like almost 60 percent of it is gone. The Examiner says that $4.7 million of the dough to pay for overtime has been used to get cops out and about. During the length of the crime emergency, which began July 11, violent crime has decreased by 1 percent, with property crimes down 6.9 percent — a far cry from the 50 percent promised by D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams.
Ragweed Arrives Early in District: What have we to look forward to this morning? Ragweed. If you’re an allergy sufferer who is feeling a little off this morning in that allergy-related kind of way, you can thank ragweed season for arriving two weeks early, notes NBC 4. As if living in one of the nation’s 100 worst areas for allergies wasn’t enough. On the plus side, you can blame the ragweed for exaggerated ADD symptoms at work, which can be induced by allergic reactions. Time to stock up on the Allegra and Claritin, and though it’s bad now, the worst is to come during the first two weeks in September.
Coming Soon to a Radio Near You — Mayoral Ads: With the D.C. mayoral race coming into its last weeks, our doors have been jammed with filers and campaign signs are appearing everywhere. WJLA says that we can now expect on-air advertising from the mayoral candidates to start today. The article mentions that Linda Cropp will be running two one-minute radio ads against Adrian Fenty, further accusing Fenty of mishandling the accounts of an elderly man in 1999 for whom he was a court-appointed guardian. Ah, let the mudslinging continue!
Extra Quarters Needed for Dulles Toll Road:As if cruising down the Dulles Toll Road didn’t already take a chunk of change, it looks like that amount is about to increase. WJLA reports that a raise in toll fares would be used to pay for a tunnel needed as part of Metro’s extension to Dulles. As debate between an above-ground or an underground station at Tysons lingers, the tunnel would tack on an additional $200 million as compared to its above-ground alternative. In related toll news, it looks like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will be toll-free during the Labor Day weekend — all the better to head out to the beach.
Briefly Noted: Supporter scuffle at candidates forum in MD … Woman domestically abused by husband wins $550,000 in VA civil case … 2,500 District kids need immunization updates before the start of school … New Botanic Garden to open on the National Mall come October … Leaders ponder Maryland growth.
This Day in DCist: In 2005, we pondered the hellaciousness of District potholes, and in 2004 we saw American Idol wannabe’s take over the Convention Center.
Picture snapped by justindc
