Photo by JLK1979

Big news from Metro today. But since Sommer’s got complete details coming this morning, I’ll leave you all to ponder the fate of our beloved trusted reliable existing transit system for a while. In the meantime, this weekend’s threat of snow may very well have woken Davy DCist from his slumber, and he’s not a happy camper. Will he make an appearance today? Maybe. (Editor’s note: Ehh, not exactly big news in the surprising sense, but you can read more about the fare hikes and service reductions Metro is considering here).

Gray Still Pondering Run Against Fenty: The D.C. Examiner writes that D.C. Council Chair Vince Gray, buoyed by two favorable polls, is still considering a run against Mayor Adrian Fenty but hasn’t decided on when he’ll announce his final intentions. One poll released two weeks ago and another published this week show Fenty suffering from high disapproval ratings and faring badly against a number of potential challengers. In a head-to-head matchup, a Gray-Fenty contest would be virtual tie, with between 18 and 22 percent of the District’s registered voters still undecided.

Peebles Also Pondering Run Against Fenty: Millionaire developer Don Peebles, who recently offered up $1 million to anyone willing to challenge Fenty, seems to want to take up the contest himself, writes the Washington Times. A spokesperson for Peebles said that while he hasn’t yet confirmed the run, people seem to be encouraging him to take on the mayor. Maybe Peebles should think long and hard about the decision — a recent poll has him losing to Fenty, 51 to 21. Trailing a guy that more than half the city isn’t happy with is not a good omen, Don.

Virginia is Soooooooo Gay: OK, maybe the commonwealth isn’t yet a bastion of progressive attitudes towards same-sex couples, but outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine seems to want to change that, even if slowly. The Post reports that Kaine has asked his staff to start implementing a proposal that would allow same-sex partners of state employees to be covered under the state’s health plan. Incoming Republican Gov. Robert McDonnell has expressed concerns with the cost of the plan — Kaine staffers argue it will be borne by state employees, not the state itself — but has not yet said if he will discontinue it when he takes office. If it moves forward, it will likely take 18 months to fully implement.

Briefly Noted: Hate crimes against gays on rise in District … Virginia to crack down on I-66 speeders in next two days … More Salahi news.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2008, we found out that the birthers were coming. And sadly, a year later they’re still floating around. In 2007, we asked for nothing but voting rights for Christmas. Instead, we got steaming lumps of poo in our stockings courtesy of Congress, and they’ve given us the same damn present every year since. Bastards.