Happy Friday before a major holiday weekend, D.C.! Chances are you’re either phoning it in today, or perhaps if you’re a bit more noble, scrambling to get a bunch of tasks completed before you head out the door early to make your way to the hills, the beach, or maybe just the stoop, depending on your plans. We’re right there with you. We’re looking at the sunshine out our windows, the predictions of perfect holiday weekend weather, and we’re all smiles. Well we were, anyway, until the Washington Post decided to fill us in on the carnage left behind at the National Museum of the American Indian, where five baby ducklings were slaughtered in the mechanical workings of a fountain last weekend. The adorable little fluffy baby ducks died when equipment installed to protect wildlife failed, and a group of children were on hand to witness their destruction. So, yeah. Enjoy your holiday weekend, everyone. Your holiday weekend OF TEARS.

Eleven Fired from AG Office: Interim D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles has fired ten lawyers and a manager from the office, the Post has learned. He’s trying to make the AG office run similarly to a top-notch law firm — and is apparently even instituting new dress codes and forcing staff attorneys to clock in and out. As you might expect, the union which represents most of the fired lawyers is not pleased.

More Audit Fun!: The Office of Tax and Revenue and the Department of Parks and Recreation have had their turn, so it’s on to the Metropolitan Police Department. Turns out they have lost a rather serious amount of guns, drugs and cash seized as evidence and jeopardized criminal prosecutions by failing to secure its evidence warehouse and databases, the Examiner reports. Auditors failed to find more than a third of a sample size of 120 pieces of evidence. Among the missing: $16,453 in currency, seven revolvers, one shotgun, one BB gun, one derringer, marijuana, amphetamines and cocaine.

Briefly Noted: Relatives of Banita Jacks’ four slain daughters push city to release their bodies … Teachers union members press to replace group’s president … D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton drives a Prius, while other House members drive gas guzzlers leased with taxpayer money.

This Day in DCist: In 2007 we checked out a Senate judiciary hearing on D.C. voting rights legislation, and in 2006 we got into a debate about regional seasoned salts.

Photo by mosley.brian