Former Editor-in-Chief Ryan Avent writes a weekly column about neighborhood and development issues. Things used to be clearer for Fairfax County. It used to be known as the epitome of upper-middle class suburbanity, even earning name-checks in popular novels and songs as such. With acres and acres of rolling hills covered in leafy suburbs and landscaped office parks, it was a quiet complement to the quirky inner suburbs of Northern Virginia and the dense chaos…

The Washington Examiner’s Steve Eldridge, who writes the paper’s daily Sprawl and Crawl feature, kicked off yesterday’s column with some pretty bold claims about the D.C. government’s motivations when it comes to Metro. In no uncertain terms, Mr. Eldridge accuses the District of attempting to systematically usurp control of our regional transit system. Could it be that D.C. is actually on such a Pinky-and-the-Brain-esque mission to take over WMATA? DCist takes a look at Eldridge’s…

If businesses seem a little slower than usual today, there’s a good explanation — today is the day that millions of immigrants across the United States will boycott work, part of a protest the demonstrate their economic weight and push for sensible immigration reform. The boycott has sparked divisions within the immigrant rights movement, though, with some groups and advocates in the area arguing that the action could turn public opinion against them. Locally,…

Yes, we know — “Transit on Wednesday” doesn’t really roll off the tongue, but this being a particularly heavy day for transit-related news, we decided to bite the bullet and publish on a day that doesn’t lend itself to catchy titles. Inside you’ll find updates on the Riders Advisory Council, ridership increases on both Metrorail and the D.C. Circulator, and a tidbit on a new addition to WMATA’s security team….

We have all followed the increasingly depressing news from the devastated Gulf Coast, watching as parts of New Orleans slowly disappeared under the slowly rising flood waters. News now has it that New Orleans, a city of 485,000, is to be fully evacuated and remain empty for as long as four months as federal and state officials struggle to repair levees and suck water out of the bowl-shaped city. DCist can only ponder the toll…

Be warned, Washington — with the fair days of spring come the soakers and we know many of you are allergic to rain. Today is looking to be rainy with highs in the mid-40s. The rain is even scaring off commuters near the White House, as shown in this desolate DDOT traffic camera shot from 7:20 a.m. showing H Street NW at Lafayette Park. Just Say It’s So, Tony!: According to friends of D.C. Mayor…

Expect to find more sobriety checkpoints near Georgetown thanks to something called “Operation Strikeforce”. This message was sent through D.C.’s text alert system:(Washington, DC) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) joined the Metropolitan Police Department and police departments from Fairfax an Montgomery Counties to kick off Checkpoint Strikeforce, a regional six-month anti-drunk driving campaign. Checkpoint Strikeforce was launched in the late afternoon on August 26 on Canal Road, just west of the Georgetown bars, with…