Photo by Kevin A. Koski.

Good morning, Washington. There’s no question that we live in an age where social capital is rapidly increasing in value — and there’s no better proof of that this morning than the Post’s profile of Eric Sheptock, a self-described “homeless homeless advocate” for whom “[h]aving 5,000 friends on Facebook is more important…than having $5,000 in the bank.” Moreso than a simple commentary on the value of one’s follower figure, however, the profile represents the potential for social media to open up information to service providers who sometimes struggle to keep up with demand. Sheptock, the tenth of 37 children, has used his connections to alert officials about water leaks and bedbug infestations which might have otherwise gone unnoticed. For whatever reason, it’s also strangely reassuring to know that even a homeless man who accesses the internet through a free community center or the public library isn’t immune to spam.

Fire Reported At Metro Center: Metro is reporting a disruption at Metro Center this morning, after smoke was reported on the trackbed. The station is still open, but riders on the Blue and Orange Lines should expect delays this morning as trains single-track so that fire crews can investigate. Preliminary reports indicate that a light fixture caught on fire, but was extinguished — some smoke did make its way around the station, however. We’re hearing reports of very crowded conditions at the station, so you may want to consider using Farragut West or McPherson Square until things clear up.

Loogit, Snow!: Yeah, so we got a few flakes here and there this morning. Of course, one thing that tends to happen when wintry conditions kick in is that drivers suddenly lose their ability to operate their vehicles with any kind of reliability. There’s plenty of ice on the roads, and no shortage of accidents around the area this morning, prompting TBD to remind local drivers that “If you see any accidents, let us know where. Just please don’t tell us until you’ve stopped your car.”

Politics and Prose Update: Jonathan O’Connell has a reassuring update for fans of the Politics and Prose bookstore on Connecticut Avenue — six serious bidders have been identified of more than 50 offers, but owner Barbara Meade isn’t rushing into anything. In fact, Meade hasn’t even put a monetary figure on the store, instead choosing to conduct interviews with all serious buyers to ensure that the new owners have “a passion for the written word.” O’Connell reports that one of the main bidders appears to be a consortium which includes outgoing New Republic editor Franklin Foer and Atlantic correspondent Jeffrey Goldberg, among others.

Briefly Noted: Busy morning for DCPS: Obama signing a bill at Harriet Tubman Elementary in Columbia Heights, while Mayor Fenty announces renovation plans at Cardozo High School…The long, incredibly diverse history of The General Post Office/Hotel Monaco…Death penalty will not be sought in Yeardley Love murder trial…Firefighters save more than 100 dogs from Calvert County blaze…Nationals out of Cliff Lee sweepstakes…Reminder: don’t taunt the Internet.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2008, we were up to our necks in Obama Inauguration preparation, and WMATA called a potential partnership with Google “not in our best interest.”