Photo by C a r r i e

Good morning, D.C. Yes, you read that headline correctly. We’re going to try to draw a tenuous-at-best line between the latest goings on at the D.C. Council parks and rec contracts hearings, and the Salahi Gatecrashergate controversy. It doesn’t make sense at all really, but when compiling a roundup of the morning’s headlines, if you spot the word “subpoena” more than a few times, best just to roll with it.

Respect Our Authori-Tay! For some of the highlights of what went down during the Council’s ongoing contracts investigation this week, see Michael Neibauer in the Examiner, who notes that since Fenty pal Omar Karim and his associate, Thomas Regan, both of Banneker Ventures, failed to appear despite a subpoena, the Council is now considering barring anyone who ignores one of their subpoenas from receiving any new deals with the city for five years. @mikedebonis also has some tweets from Wednesday’s hearing, at which ousted DPR head and current Council hopeful Clark Ray made an appearance.

Subpoenas for Salahis? Unlike the Banneker crew, White House party crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi were merely “invited” to appear before Bennie Thompson’s House Committee on Homeland Security hearing planned for tomorrow, an invitation which they have reportedly declined. Will Thompson throw down some subpoenas of his own? As the Post reports, the Mississippi Democrat warned in a statement Wednesday night that he might just go ahead and subpoena them “to compel their appearance” if necessary.

Briefly Noted: Water main break at 22nd Street between F Street and Virginia Ave. NW … Man shot near Texas Avenue and C Street SE … Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey may run for Congress … D.C. opposes lifting seal on sex-abuse case … Stimulus is boon for D.C. area contractors.

This Day in DCist: In 2008, that $1 taxicab gas surcharge finally went away, and in 2007, we previewed some winter beers.