Photo by theqspeaks

Good morning, Washington. WAMU’s Patrick Madden grabbed a fun takeaway from Monday’s D.C. Council hearing on the city’s fleet of vehicles — one local entrepreneur is hoping to corner the market on using recycled vegetable oil to power them. While Wendell Jenkins is already moving ahead with a $4.2 million bio-diesel plant in Northeast, city officials haven’t yet committed to using what he calls “cleanest and greenest” bio-diesel on the East Coast.

Three Days, Five Killings: Though the District’s homicide rate to date is below what it was at this same time last year, the killing of five men in unrelated incidents over the last three days shows how fickle predicting and preventing violence in the city can be. According to the Post, the killings spanned from Saturday night through Monday night, when Mohammed Abduselam, a gas station attendant, was shot and killed after a robbery. (The shooting happened right across from a community center where a discussion titled “Is Congress Heights a Ghetto?” was taking place; another shooting that same night happened only blocks from the Shaw Library where residents had gathered to discuss Dream City, a book that chronicles D.C. in its rougher years.) The Washington Times also reports on the spate of murders; also, Homicide Watch.

Leslie Johnson’s Council Seat Filled: The Post reports that Derrick Leon Davis, a Democrat, was easily elected to fill the seat on the Prince George’s County Council once held by Leslie Johnson, who resigned in July. Johnson, like her husband, former County Executive Jack Johnson, are awaiting sentencing for taking bribes from developers.

Alexandria Joins the Club: After being one of the few local jurisdictions to post a budget surplus in 2011, the Examiner reports that Alexandria is likely to face a $14.4 million budget shortfall in 2013. The shortfall is being attributed to rising health insurance premiums and overtime costs.

What’s Next?: First they hung off of the Washington Monument to check for damage from the earthquake, and then they rappelled down the side of the National Cathedral. Now, according to WJLA, they’re scaling the spires of the Air Force Memorial to check for cracks and corrosion.

Briefly Noted: Frank Kameny’s friends seeking donations for his funeral … Trying to understand why someone would jump in front of a Metro train … Not Benihana! … Six passengers injured in collision between Metrobus and backhoe … Lanes to close on Southeast Freeway and Massachusetts Avenue … Like D.C., MoCo to run a mass casualty drill.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2010, D.C. voters prepared to decide whether or not to elect the city’s attorney general and the feds reaffirmed the rights of photographers. In 2009, Frederick Douglass’ home was chosen to appear on a commemorative quarter and the controversy over Bloomingdale’s Boxer Girl wouldn’t die.