Photo by greauxe

Good morning, Washington. We’re half-way through Tube Meat Week, so keep it here for all the news and views on encased meats you could ever want. Plenty more is coming today. Now, the news.

It’s Like “The Wire” But Without Omar: Relating to urban crime is often made easier when comparing it to HBO’s “The Wire,” and the Post today uses the acclaimed series to set the stage for an investigation, arrests and prosecution of drug dealers and enforcers that worked out of a housing project in Southeast D.C. for years. Ringleader Mark Pray and 12 associates are currently standing trial or have pleaded guilty to running drugs out of the Barry Farm project; their enterprise included the killing of rival drug dealers and police informants. The police’s case may hinge on one of Pray’s lieutenants, who was wearing a police tracking device on his ankle for a separate crime while allegedly participating in a number of the killings the crew is accused of.

D.C. Ripe for Cybercrime: While murders are down, cybercrime in the District is way up. The Examiner reports that the District has been ranked one of the riskiest cities in the country when it comes to cybercrime, based on the number of hot spots per 100,000 people (67.1, fifth highest in the country), the average time spent by residents on the Internet (11 hours a week, second in the country) and the city’s relative wealth. Internet security experts have some basic advice — treat every open network as suspect, and don’t do something you don’t want someone else having access to (like online banking) while using one.

More Robberies in Northwest D.C.: There were three more armed robberies in Upper Northwest D.C. earlier this week, and Fox 5 reports that Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) rushed away from a D.C. Council retreat yesterday to a media briefing with police to reassure nervous residents that she and police are doing their best to stop the crime spree. Cheh joined D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier and Mayor Vince Gray at a similar briefing last week, where Gray said that robberies across the District have spiked this year.

Briefly Noted: Northern Virginia could gain more control over transportation funds … Legislation would allow D.C. Attorney General to prosecute minor arrests at protests … Yeardley Love was likely alive for hours after attack … Prince George’s County opposes slots … Michel Richard plans restaurants in Atlantic City … Lots more speeding cameras coming to Prince George’s County … College tuition on rise across region … D.C. homeless families housed in local hotels.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2011, some of the children of senior aides to Mayor Vince Gray landed government jobs and an Adams Mill fan made a Downfall parody of its closing. In 2010, former Shadow Representative Ray Browne died and in 2009 we learned what the federal stimulus would mean for D.C.