Photo by sally henny penny

Good morning, Washington. Today is the day we remember the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and both the Washington Times and the Post have powerful profiles of local survivors of the fateful day. Sidwell Friends is having its own almost-commemoration, it seems — the Post’s Reliable Source reports that the private school will be serving a Japanese-inspired lunch menu. School officials stress that the timing is merely coincidental.

Metro Security Cameras Not So Useful: There’s been a long-running debate over whether security cameras can help deter crime, and one local example seems to show that they don’t. The Examiner reports on a study by the Urban Institute and Metro that found that the transit agency’s security cameras at public parking lots did little to deter theft from cars or the theft of cars altogether. The report did find, though, that at any given time one-third of the cameras were not in use and that the cameras weren’t effectively integrated into a broader crime-fighting strategy, indicating that while the presence of cameras alone might not be of much value, they can still be used effectively as part of a larger security plan.

Senior D.C. Official Uses Private Email For Official Business: The Post’s Mike DeBonis read through a deposition involving D.C. CFO Natwar Gandhi on the city’s troublesome lottery contract and found an interesting tidbit — Gandhi uses a private email account for some of his official business. While the extent of the practice is not yet known, it would raise tough questions for Gandhi and other senior officials who may use them, mostly because those accounts are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The Post’s editorial board gets in on the issue today, decrying what they call a “shadow government.”

MoCo Curfew Dies, For Now: Ever since Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett proposed a youth curfew in July, the issue has roiled the county. No more. The Washington Times reports that the County Council voted 6-3 yesterday to table the proposal for the time being, recognizing that the issue had split members of the community. Under the proposed curfew, youth under 18 would not be allowed in public places after 11 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends. Critics argued that police presence should be increased and more after-school activities offered; Leggett expressed his frustration with the council’s move, saying that a number of incidents — like recent flash robs — required decisive action.

Briefly Noted: Former D.C. fire chief wants his retirement money … Tim Kaine and George Allen debate each other for first time in 2012 race … Court to decide who really controls Virginia Senate … Virginia man finally exonerated after spending 27 years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit … Wizards to start regular season against the New Jersey Nets on December 26.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2010, we got a first look at the 2012 budget, the NoMa Harris Teeter opened its doors and Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) brought up the control board monster. In 2009, a gay rights activist threatened to out closeted priests for their opposition to same-sex marriage.