Welcome to Friday, Washington. More reactions to the Metro Board’s proposed fare hikes this morning, as The Examiner quotes the chairman of Metro’s Riders Advisory Board claiming he’ll be switching to driving from Rockville to Rosslyn at least two days a week if the increases go into effect. Do the proposed fare hikes make you think you’ll change your commuting habits?
Operator Error Blamed in Track Deaths: Another report about a terrible Metro accident from the National Transportation Safety Board has been released, and the agency found that the operator of a Yellow line train that hit and killed two Metro employees a year ago did not follow proper procedure while operating the train, and lied to federal investigators about being on her cellphone and when she hit the emergency brake.
Hispanic Immigrants Targeted by Robbers: There have a been a string of violent attacks and robberies targeting Hispanic immigrants in the metro area, and the Post has a big story this morning looking at what’s happening overall. Called “amigo shopping” by some, Hispanics are targets because they are assumed to be illegal and therefore thought to carry cash rather than use banks and to be reluctant to report crimes to police.
Briefly Noted: Pepco and Turkish Embassy locked in a billing dispute … One man dies, another is hospitalized in series of unrelated overnight shootings … D.C. sees rise in avoidable hospitalizations … D.C. Schools ombudsman recruited from review panel.
This Day in DCist: In 2006 we took a look at the D.C. government’s new online crime map and in 2005 we teased Metro for trying to add a line to a Nicole Kidman film to try to make sure people know you’re not allowed to hop the fare gates.
Photo by andertho
