Courtesy DDOT A long-awaited traffic pattern change at the intersection of New York and Florida avenues NE is set to begin at 9 p.m. on June 4, the District Dept. of Transportation announced Tuesday. Once the changes are put into place, southbound First Street will become one-way between Florida and New York, westbound Florida will become one-way between New York and First, and eastbound Florida will be detoured to First. Traffic will be able…

Two people were shot just south of New York Avenue Park earlier this evening. Details are still trickling in, but the shooting took place just before 5 p.m. at 1st and M Streets NW. No word on the condition of the two victims or whether any suspects are in custody. Today’s incident comes on the heels of multiple shootings about eight blocks north in Bloomingdale just a couple weeks ago. We’ll update when we have…

Good morning, Washington, and welcome back to what will be a rather short work week for most of us. While airports and train stations are sure to be jammed with holiday travelers this week, the city’s roads and metro system should be a little less crowded than normal as folks head out of town early to celebrate Thanksgiving. Less congestion may not make much of a difference in road safety, however, if a new survey…

>> D.C. Council members have rejected a plan to give a developer city-owned land worth $6 million on which to build a new Radio One headquarters. [WJLA] >> Five new restaurants are coming to Columbia Heights. [Prince of Petworth] >> Traffic was temporarily halted at Union Station this afternoon as Amtrak Police investigated a report of a suspicious package near Gate A in Union Station. Regular service had resumed by 4 p.m. [WaPo] >>…

Via bloomingdale (for now), it looks like Harris Teeter has committed to open a location in a new development project called Constitution Square at 1st and M Streets NE, right next to the New York Ave. Metro station. The news was first posted on the ANC 6C05 blog maintained by commissioner Alan Kimber. Kimber reported that Harris Teeter had originally been interested in an approx. 40,000 sq. ft. space at 3rd & H Streets NE…

Good morning, Washington. If you’re the kind of person who delights in reading angry product reviews on consumer web sites, head over here and read some of the comments about the Presidential Inn on New York Ave. Highlights include “I have never been so disgusted with a place in all my life,” “I can’t even believe that it is running legally,” and, tellingly, “upon my departure I noticed small red bumps all over my body.”…

>> The Smithsonian American Art Museum honors the winners of the Lucelia Artist Award over the past six years with its new exhibition opening tomorrow. The highly prestigious award gives $25,000 to an artist under 50 who has “consistently demonstrated exceptional creativity.” See the six winners every day from from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 2007 winner will be revealed tomorrow when the exhibit opens. >> If you haven’t had the chance yet…

Although 192 protesters were arrested Saturday during the March to End the War and competing counter-protest by the Gathering of Eagles, by most measures turnout was low. The Post’s Marc Fisher notes in his column that the small numbers of people who marched over the weekend is more a measure of a lack of enthusiasm for protesting in this country, rather than a lack of strong feelings against the war — just visit any popular…

Exciting news this fine morning for the many Washingtonians who draw their paychecks from the USDA — you may still be paid after you die. The Post reports that the The U.S. Department of Agriculture distributed $1.1 billion over seven years to the estates or companies of dead people, though granted, they were actually all farmers instead of government employees. Now we just have to figure out the best way to pretend to be a…

This Saturday, DC 101 is once again hosting its annual Chili Cook-Off, that popular concert, food and drink festival of gong show proportions that benefits the National Kidney Foundation. Tickets are sold-out, but for those of you who already got yours or are willing to brave the wilds of craigslist to score some, be sure to stop by the judging area and say hello to myself and DCist Food Editor Adam Bailey. Adam will be…