Good morning, Washington. Did you stay up late arguing the finer points of last night’s Democratic presidential debate at Howard University? Or were you just hoping to get a table at Busboys and Poets but unable to shove your way through the crowd? Shaw and the U Street corridor were overrun with Democratic political operatives last night … which really probably isn’t any different than any other night. But forget about the substance of the debate, the real question is, did anyone manage to spot Cornel West eating a jumbo slice?
House Passes Lift on Needle Ban: The House yesterday passed the D.C. appropriations bill that included language that would lift a nine-year-old ban on using D.C. tax dollars to provide clean needles to drug addicts. The lift on the ban on using federal funds to allow domestic partners to register for benefits, that President Bush threatened to veto, was however removed from the bill. The change will have little practical effect because the city uses its own funds for that program. The Senate is expected to approve the appropriations bill with the needle language intact. While President Bush said he “strongly opposes” the lift on the needle ban, it is unlikely he will veto the bill on that issue alone. The District has one of the worst rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the country.
Trees Will Stay in C&O Canal: The Montgomery County Planning Board voted last night to reject developer Aris Mardirossian’s bid to cut down trees near the C&O Canal that bear nuts to which his children are allergic. Mardirossian said he will go to court to challenge the ruling.
Briefly Noted: Metro settles disabled rider suit … Suspected Spider-man robber caught by police … One killed, one shot in Southeast.
This Day in DCist: Last year we told you that the Navy Memorial’s waters really were blue because of Ty-D-Bowl™, and the year before that we noted the final revocation of controversial Club U’s liquor license.
Photo by Bullneck
