Good morning and happy Memorial Day, Washington. This morning, everyone is thinking about those who have served and sacrificed in uniform — President Obama will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery this morning (something he didn’t do last year), and several of the memorials around the city will also host remembrances. Those of you looking to get around downtown today should note that Jefferson Drive and Madison Drive has been closed from 4th Street to 14th Street NW — and later, Constitution Avenue will be closed from 15th Street to 23rd Street NW — for the annual Memorial Day Parade. As a reminder, all Smithsonian museums and the Zoo are open for business today, despite the holiday — though if you’re heading to the Mall, you might want to rethink using Metro, as those Orange and Blue line closures are still in effect.
Washington residents not checking out the parade or the museums will likely spend today battling traffic to get back into town, or enjoying the final third of a long holiday weekend — here at DCist, we’ll be doing the latter. But for those of you who are stuck behind a computer this morning (our profound sympathies), here’s the news this morning. We’ll be back at top gear first thing tomorrow morning.
It’s Hot: However you’re spending your Memorial Day, if you’re doing it outside, you’ll want to stay hydrated. Today marks the beginning of the year’s first heat wave, which will bring “oppressive heat and humidity” and potentially record-shattering temperatures to the city. A heat advisory will go into effect today at noon, while the humidity means it’ll feel like over 100 degrees tomorrow and Wednesday. Whatever you do, don’t open those hydrants!
Businesses React To Gray’s Walmart Ultimatum: When we first learned of Vince Gray’s “build at Skyland, or don’t build at all” Walmart threat, we wondered whether the District really wanted to be viewed as the kind of place where businesses will have to kowtow to the Mayor’s whims. Jonathan O’Connell finds that some businesspeople are already feeling the cold shoulder — developers working on the four Walmart sites already planned. “It kind of came out of the blue, I can tell you that,” one developer told O’Connell, “It sure doesn’t make us feel very good — that our destiny now is being taken out of our own hands.”
Will Teddy Win?: With the vigor of Jim Garrison, Dan Steinberg outlines the case for why he believes Teddy might actually win the Nationals’ Presidents Race today. (The Nats play the Phillies at 1:05 this afternoon.) “If you buy a ticket hoping to see this and he fails again, do not blame me,” writes the Bogger, “But I have reasons.” They include Jason Werth’s public lamentations about Teddy’s losing streak, the added publicity a Teddy win would garner on an incredibly slow news day like today, Nats announcer F.P. Santangelo and Teddy’s own predictions, and Roosevelt and the team’s strong ties with the military. We’re not holding our breath, but your intrepid editor will take the assignment at the Park this afternoon.
Briefly Noted: Police investigating midday stabbing homicide on 5400 block of Georgia Avenue NW…Metro 4000 Series cars blamed for delays…D.C. cemetery rededicated…Man shot and killed in Capitol Heights…Juvenile crime: car theft down, smartphone theft up…Metro employee honored for saving two lives…Hackers hit PBS website, post story claiming Tupac lives in New Zealand…Bunch of savages in this town.
