Good morning, Washington. The District’s handgun ban will finally come before the U.S. Supreme Court today, and we’ll have more on the latest thinking in the case later this morning. In the meantime, the Post reports that local law students and gun advocates began lining up around the Court building yesterday, hoping to snag one of the 70 to 80 seats that are expected to be available for the 75-minute proceeding. Those waiting should finally be let in just before 10 a.m., but if you happen to walk by the Court on your way to work this morning, you’ll likely encounter plenty of cold and tired folks on the sidewalk.

Council to Decide on Police Evidence Warehouse: The D.C. Council is set to vote today on whether to renew the city’s lease for its aging police evidence warehouse in Southeast. The Examiner reports that no one from the Fenty administration showed up to a hearing chaired by Council member Phil Mendelson, who has been seeking answers as to why the city agreed to renew the lease at nearly four times the building’s current rent. As you might imagine, Mendelson wasn’t pleased.

Mt. Pleasant Fire Damage Totals $20 Million: The fire that destroyed a Mount Pleasant apartment building and the nearby Meridian Hill Baptist Church last week did at least $20 million in damage, according to officials. The Post reports that an official cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but no evidence of arson has been found so far.

Briefly Noted: District planning crackdown of slumlords … Teen killed in Ft. Lincoln … Chief executive of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington resigns … Maryland plastic bag ban killed in committee.

Photo by furcafe