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Good morning, Washington. D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles would like to offer you his sincere apologies for the loss and destruction of evidence related to the 2002 Pershing Park arrests. Everyone’s got a story on this development, because hey, who can imagine Nickles ever apologizing for anything again? The Examiner makes sure to note that Nickles took the time to spread the blame on the MPD as well as Thomas Koger, lead counsel on the Pershing Park defense, and quotes an attorney representing one of those arrested who believes the apology to have been insufficient. The Post’s story is pretty similar, even a little lighter on details. City Desk offers this salient point: “The question remains how will Nickles conduct an independent investigation when all the officials tapped to looking into the missing evidence are District government employees.”

Bus Driver Caught on Phone May Have Had a Dead Radio: It’s looking more and more likely that WMATA may not just go ahead and fire the bus driver who was caught talking on her cell phone, allegedly while driving, by a reader of Unsuck DC Metro. WTOP reports that they’ve been able to verify the version of events first reported by the Maryland Politics Watch blog: that the driver in question was using her cell phone to report to Metro HQ that her bus was having an issue. “Passengers had complained the bus’ destination sign wasn’t working. The driver got off the bus, checked the sign and tried to reboot it. She tripped getting back on the bus and hurt her arm and leg. She then tried to call Metro using the fixed radio-phone system on the bus, but central control didn’t respond. The operator then got off the bus and called Metro on her cell phone.” The Union representing the driver also tells the Post that a witness on the bus supports the driver’s story.

Fenty Nominee to Contract Appeals Board Disbarred: The Examiner reports that Mayor Fenty’s nominee to the Contract Appeals Board, the panel charged with hearing and resolving contractual disputes, was recently disbarred in Maryland for his role in a fraudulent real estate scheme and will not be seated on the board. Apart from the mayor, the D.C. Council, who approved Purcell as recently as July 14, must be feeling a bit foolish right about now.

Briefly Noted: Commercial building fire briefly closes New York Ave. … Golfers, hikers, homeowners unite: Groups dig in for Purple Line battle … Chemical agent mustard found during American University excavation.

This Day in DCist: In 2008 we suffered yet another panda pseudopregnancy, and in 2007, Metro began officially suggesting you stand to the right on its escalators.