>> A gas main break closed Route 1 in Alexandria this afternoon. Expect delays. [WaPo] >> The suspicious death of a two-year-old Silver Spring boy has been ruled a homicide. [WTOP] >> Authorities have arrested and charged a Clinton, Md., woman with attempted murder and other arson-related charges for her involvement starting fire in a Gaithersburg apartment building on Thanksgiving morning. [NBC4] >> An Oak Hill Thanksgiving: “Just days before, a riot broke out…

Two senators, two holds on District legislation — sounds like business as usual up on Capitol Hill, doesn’t it? The Post brings news that Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) became the second Democratic senator to put a hold on the legislation that would formalize Mayor Adrian Fenty’s bid for increased control over the city’s troubled public schools. Two weeks ago, Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) used the same tactic to force the District to negotiate over the…

On Saturday D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Notron and Mayor Adrian Fenty reached a quick agreement with Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) to remove the hold the senator placed on the District schools takeover plan on Thursday. “We have a handshake agreement. That’s what old friends can do,” Norton told the Post. Cardin had said he placed the hold as a political maneuver to pressure the District to negotiate on a long-standing disagreement involving the District’s plans…

Those of us stuck in quiet offices this week, staring blankly at wall clocks with increasing despair, have finally arrived at the Friday before New Year’s weekend. Currently DCist is taking over/under bets on the median time of departure from work today (especially for you lucky duck Federal employees who’ve got Tuesday off). How late will you last? 4 p.m.? 3? Just not bother to come back from lunch? We have to admit the option…

Welcome back, Washington. We hope you had a Turkey Day filled with food, family, and football triumphs. Now it’s back to work, maggot! Hey, at least it’ll be warm: today is likely to be rainy, but will have temperatures in the sixties. That’s not bad for being on the cold side of Thanksgiving. Annapolis Fire Destroys Building, Costs Millions: The weekend’s big news was the blaze that tore through Annapolis’s historic district. No one was…

If any DCist readers happen to see someone like the character at right running around the Lincoln Park area of Capitol Hill, they’d be advised to get on the horn and inform police as quickly as possible. DCist sources are reporting that an unknown number of inmates housed at the Oak Hill youth detention facility escaped today while on route to court appearances, most in the vicinity of Lincoln Park. WJLA is reporting that while…

Yesterday brought disappointing news about the New Orleans relief convoy that was hastily put together by city officials. Although the convoy and the volunteers manning it were able to distribute supplies and fuel, a late start and poor communication with relief agencies resulted in only one evacuee being brought back. Despite this lack of success, Mayor Williams says that the city will pick up the $82,000 tab — but only if the feds won’t….

So the U.S. Senate won’t be going nuclear after all that huffing and puffing. (At least not anytime soon, but …) All things considered, that’s probably for the best. The country witnessed how even a simple evacuation two weeks ago could be so magnificently botched — so just imagine what the fallout from the nuclear strike would have looked like. Another Airspace Violation?: Speaking of potential evacuations … Another daring pilot either did his patriotic…

District residents, political leaders, and police gathered tonight in Montrose Park in Georgetown, not far from where Joseph Pozell, who managed nearby Oak Hill Cemetery by day and worked as a volunteer traffic police officer by night, lived with his family. Pozell, who is 58, was critically injured on Saturday, when a SUV making a left turn from Wisconsin Avenue onto M Street hit him. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, police Chief Charles Ramsey, Council-member…

D.C.’s best arts and arts organizations were honored Monday night at the 20th annual Mayor’s Arts Awards. The gala ceremony, which took place at the Kennedy Center, was presented by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities and hosted by Mayor Anthony Williams and WRC anchor Jim Vance. Leonard Slatkin (shown at left), music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his imaginative musical programming and…