Good morning, Washington. The first weekend in December debuts, and it’s going to be sunny and mild with temperatures rising to about 50 by the afternoon. Sans the October snowstorm, the start of the winter season hasn’t been too bad.
>> There isn’t much new to report on the slew of federal agents that showed up at D.C. Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr.’s home yesterday morning — related to the $300,000 in city funds he steered toward himself. The FBI and IRS agents searched Thomas’s house from about 8 a.m. until about 5:30 pm, seizing a motorcycle, a sport-utility vehicle, and bags and boxes filled with papers and other materials. Thomas was not charged or taken into custody. For a good rundown of Friday’s search and some relevant context on why federal agents were there, check out Mike DeBonis and Tim Craig’s story (DeBonis also dug up a nice shot of Thomas on his now-confiscated motorcycle). The Washington Post editorial board has weighed in on the latest developments: “Federal agents swarmed the house of D.C. Council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) on Friday morning. It was unsettling to watch officers haul vehicles and bags of material away from the home of an elected city official in the nation’s capital. But it was also reassuring to see that law enforcement takes seriously allegations about an official misusing his office and abusing the public trust.”
>> A Video Visitation Program set up at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria allows relatives and friends of inmates to use videoconferencing equipment to see and speak with loved ones incarcerated in state prisons hundreds of miles away. The goal of the program is to keep inmates connected to their families so that they’re incentivized to behave well behind bars and improve their chances of success when they get out of prison. The Washington Post reports that the average cost of an in-person visit (gas, food and accommodations) is about $500. The fee for an hour-long video chat is a mere $30.
>> Reagan National Airport began construction on its main runway this spring, rerouting some air traffic to another landing strip. The change hasn’t been pleasant for residents of Bellevue in Southwest and Congress Heights in Southeast.
>> Transit Police and Metro employees will now be using “gators” (golf carts) to increase security around parking garages at select Metro stations.
>> Most people have gripes with Metro (broken escalators, inadequately lit stations, maintenance schedules that make it painful to get around the District on weekends), but it turns out that few Metrorail customers make formal complaints. When people do, it seems to be fruitless. The Washington Post’s Dana Hedgpeth talks with one commuter who does file at least one or two complaints a month, but she hasn’t received a substantive or satisfactory response to any of them.
>> The Washington Business Journal reports that opponents of the Georgia Avenue Walmart filed a lawsuit challenging the Historic Preservation Review Board’s decision not to award the Brightwood Car Barn historic status. The lawsuit doesn’t explicitly mention Walmart.
>> Animal control officials in Virginia found two dogs poisoned by cheese cubes soaked in anti-freeze poisoning. Janice Raleigh of Leesburg says her 7-year-old poodle Hank and 6-year-old terrier Fiona were “beloved members of her family.” Both dogs died after their kidneys failed. “You messed with the wrong person,” Raleigh told WJLA.
>> “‘Hello. I’m calling to let everybody know that Governor O’Malley and President Obama have been successful,’ the call said. ‘Our goals have been met. The polls were correct, and we took it back. We’re OK. Relax. Everything’s fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations, and thank you.’”
>> A person was rescued from the train tracks at the Archives-Navy Memorial Metro station after falling onto the track bed. The person was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
>> A search is underway for a worker with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission who went missing at the Triadelphia Watershed Friday. Maryland police are using dogs, boats, night vision equipment and helicopters to search for the worker.
>> The Red Derby ranks ninth on Buzzfeed’s list of cheapest bars in the most expensive cities.
>> A local 35-year-old mortgage analyst for Wells Fargo will be featured on TLC’s “Virgin Diaries.”
>> Fear change!
>> “A toothless wonder.”
>> Puppy love.
