It’s Friday, D.C., and if you live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, you may have suffered a lengthy power outage yesterday after a manhole exploded and injured a Pepco worker in the area. The worker suffered second degree burns but will recover. If you’re a bit of a science geek like us, you immediately began Googling something like “How exactly do manholes explode?” after you read the above story, so allow us to save you the trouble. Also allow us to recommend bringing an umbrella with you today: it’s going to be hot, but there’s also a good chance of afternoon thunderstorms today and tomorrow.
Anonymous Hold Came From Cardin: Maryland Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin is the senator behind the hold-up of D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty’s schools takeover legislation, but ostensibly not because of the recent plagiarism controversy. Cardin is citing a dispute over the city’s plans to rebuild a youth detention center in Anne Arundel County as the reason for placing an anonymous hold on the legislation yesterday. Though Cardin also said he does not object to the mayor’s school takeover and pledged not to hold up the legislation for long, several members of the D.C. Council gave Cardin the what-for in the WaPo’s write-up for treating D.C. like a redheaded step-child.
Train Operator Was on Cell Phone Before Crash: New revelations from the WaPo this morning about the investigation into one of last year’s fatal Metro accidents, when two maintenance workers were struck and killed by a Yellow Line train. According to several sources familiar with the investigation into the incident, the train operator in question was using a cell phone while operating the train — though it’s unclear whether they were on the phone at the precise moment of the accident.
Briefly Noted: Bay Bridge back to normal after fatal crash kills three … Retaliation not ruled out in shooting of Russian intelligence expert … A few snags as musicians audition for Metro.
This Day in DCist: Last year we were dismayed at the installation of some awful public art at the old convention center site, and the year before that we wondered if the Nats would ever have a fan base.
Photo by el swifterino
