Photo by kimberlyfaye.

Good morning, Washington. The D.C. Council holds its first meeting of the Committee of the Whole since the Democratic primaries this morning, and there’s the perception that, as a body, it’s entering a halcyon period. Chairman Vince Gray is the presumptive Mayor-elect and every incumbent Councilmember who was seeking re-election won — so to say that the Council is riding pretty high at the moment would probably be an understatement. There’s even the perception that the Council has a bit of a blank legislative check at the moment — today, the Council will consider the vote-blocking bill which Mayor Adrian Fenty pocket vetoed in August. As Phil Mendelson told the Examiner’s Freeman Klopott yesterday, “we will not see the kind of checks and balances seen over the past years where the council consistently stood up to Mayor Fenty.”

Manslaughter Charge Levied in Adams Morgan Car Crash: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District has amended their charges against Chamica Adams, 23, to include manslaughter. Julia Bachleitner, 26, died as a result of injuries she suffered after Adams drove her 2007 Dodge Caliber over the center island at the intersection of 18th and U Streets and Florida Avenue and into the Keren Restaurant at 1780 Florida Avenue NW on September 8.

Metro GM Interviews To Take Place This Month: Or so Adam Tuss reports this morning, also noting that Nathaniel Ford, currently executive director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority, is one of the 20 or people applying for the position. MUNI, while still a large transit agency, is much smaller than Metro, though Ford does have experience working in New York and with San Francisco’s heavy-rail system, BART.

The Bag Tax Is Working: Tommy Wells must be smiling. After progress reports indicated it was making a difference, the Wall Street Journal reports that the five-cent plastic bag tax that the Councilmember pushed so hard for is working. And how — WSJ says that stores in D.C. have handed out about 60 percent fewer bags in 2010 than they did in 2009.

Briefly Noted: Peter Nickles under investigation…Two children hit by car on Polk Street NE yesterday…Police make second arrest in College Park robbery…Breaking: federal workers would rather not be placed on furlough…Michelle Rhee is [cue Oprah voice] “a warrior woman!“…Full points to John Kelly for chalking up yesterday’s lost car story to “parking karma”…It’s clothing — in a can.

This Day in DCist: In 2006, the threat of the world’s most dangerous hot dog stand was neutralized by the Pentagon; luckily, the mobile hot dog industry was able to bounce back.