Photo by dr_kim_veis [”o ]Good morning Washington. Looks to be just another Saturday morning in the district. Time to get out of bed, be productive, and get some errands done. Oh wait, everything seems to be closed. Scraps of wrapping paper appear to be strewn across your floors, smells of a gluttonous feast have penetrated your clothing, and your beloved — or irksome — relatives seem to be hording around you. Yes, it is a holiday morning and there’s nothing to do but to kick back and enjoy it all. If not, then count your blessings that you’re not stuck in an airport somewhere. On the other hand, that story may change come Sunday.
>> Looks like one of the last bastions of brick-and-mortar video rental shops in the district may be closing its doors by next year. Blockbuster announced that it will close an 180 stores by the end of the first quarter next year, adding on to the 58 stores that have closed since September. It should be no surprise that D.C.’s tech-savvy denizens have already flocked to digital means for their escapist movie needs, evidenced by Blockbuster’s closing of its shops in Adams Morgan in August and Dupont Circle last year. One remaining store holds strong against the digital hordes in Eastern Market, however its store manager is unaware of any plans to shutter its doors as of yet. Although retail rents are a bit lower in Eastern Market, there’s no reason to think that SE locals are any less digitally connected than the rest of the city.
>> A lawsuit was filed in federal court Thursday, claiming that the District of Columbia has failed to provide more than 500 nursing home residents with services that would allow them to live independently, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the Washington Post, the lawsuit purports that as many as 2900 residents are being unnecessarily institutionalized against their will since the city has not provided alternative services such as patient transfers, medical equipment and in-home bathing. Furthermore, the filers say that city agencies and nursing home workers often do not inform residents of their rights and options.
>> A district man has been released from the hospital after being rescued off the coast of New Jersey from a boating accident. The 65-foot boat was being transported to New Orleans when it sank. Steve Hopkins was rescued by the Coast Guard, however the owner of the boat is missing and presumed dead.
