Photo by mofo.

Good morning, D.C. Well, it looks like Ximena Hartsock (still the best name in the District’s public sphere, without a doubt) isn’t heading out the door of the District Department of Parks and Recreation quite yet. Mark Segraves reported yesterday afternoon that Hartsock — who, if you’ll recall, was summarily railroaded in a pathetic display of Washingtonian politics at its worst before being officially denied confirmation by the Council — had her title at DPR changed from “Acting Director” to “Interim Director” by Mayor Adrian Fenty. D.C. attorney general Peter Nickles told Segraves that under the new title, Hartsock will be able to keep her job for 180 days — though Nickles expects that Fenty will name a new candidate for the position before that. (Hopefully, it’s one who meets Marion Barry’s high standards.)

It’s arguable that after the way the whole process was handled, a little transitional time is the least Hartsock deserves. Though it got us to thinking: if the Mayor can simply just change the titles of cabinet-level appointees to keep them in jobs, then what exactly is the point of having the Council vote on them? If Fenty doesn’t find a replacement, couldn’t he just extend the term again by renaming the position to “Director Until The Council Leans Their Lesson That No One Messes With The Fenty”?

Scanning the headlines this morning:

>> Shocker: there are large improprieties with some large contracts which the D.C. Housing Authority entered into without Council oversight. Do we really need to tell you that most of the firms on the receiving end of said are big Fenty boosters, or did you just naturally assume that?

>> Two Southwest D.C. teenagers are in the hospital after leaping from a third-story apartment to escape a fire. Both are expected to survive.

>> Sure, there are plenty of ways in which Metro makes me sick, but it’s got little to do with the actual ride.