Good morning, Washington. On Friday night, three people were struck by a car while taking part in an Occupy D.C. rally downtown. Hundreds of protesters blocked streets around the Convention Center during the Americans for Prosperity “dream summit,” which is affiliated with the conservative billionaire Koch brothers. The driver will not be charged, because he allegedly had a green light. We’ll have more on this soon.
>> Andy Rooney, the curmudgeonly “60 Minutes” commentator that for generations closed out the program with his wry wit and often controversial television essays, died Friday. He was 92. Pretty incredible that his last 60 minutes essay — his 1097th — was on Oct. 2, 2011. In his last appearance, Rooney said, “I’ve done a lot of complaining here, but of all the things I’ve complained about, I can’t complain about my life.”
>> The Washington Post asked Tom Sherwood, William P. Lightfoot, Dorothy Brizill, Muriel Bowser, Martin Austermuhle(!), Bryan Weaver, Robert Kabel and Kathy Patterson: “What is the most important thing that can be done to improve the level of ethics in D.C. government?”
>> Two children died in a two-car crash on Route 50 east of the Beltway Friday night. One of the vehicles caught on fire. An adult in the car was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, but the two children were trapped in their car seats.
>> Albrecht Muth, who is accused of killing his 91-year-old wife, Viola Drath, wants to wear a military uniform at his trial. Muth claims he’s a staff brigadier general in the Iraqi Army. He submitted his request formally in a seven-page handwritten letter. The Iraqi Embassy has already said Muth is not a member of the Iraqi army.
>> The Washington Examiner reports that the National Capital Planning Commission approved preliminary site and building plans for the National Museum of African American History and Culture on a five-acre site on Constitution Avenue.
>> Mike DeBonis reports on Friday’s D.C. Council hearing concerning MPD’s newly encrypted radio communications, which Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said has been done in the interest of public safety. DeBonis writes that one journalist countered, claiming the radio shutdown, “is taking the public out of public safety.”
>> In sports, the Washington Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 on Friday night.
>> Jack Abramoff to Dan Synder: “I asked him how we would feel if the New York team were called the Jew Boys, or worse. Moreover, I knew that all Native Americans resented the use of the feathered headdress in the team band’s uniform. I asked how he would feel if the New York Jew Boys band had a uniform of black hats and prayer shawls.”
>> “Here she is, your brand-new Robert A.M. Stern-designed Third Church of Christ Scientist-cum-office-building…”
>> Can you hear me? I hear you.
>> That’s defeating.
