WMATA has released the above photo of Metro employee Fred Kenley installing new fare charts today at the Judiciary Square station. The transit agency’s first fare hike in four years takes effect this Sunday, January 6. You can calculate how much your commute will cost now online….

How about that first snow storm of the season, Washington? CapitalWeather.com says that “yesterday’s clipper system actually significantly ‘over-performed,'” which is why we ended up with 2-4″ of snow for the region instead of the 1″ we were originally expecting. The Examiner was concerned about your commute this morning thanks to overnight lows that were forecast to drop into the low 20s, allowing for ice to refreeze on the roads in time for this…

Good morning, Washington. Does your commute include the Wilson Bridge? If so, enjoy this morning’s trip — it’s the last speedy one you’re likely to have this week. As Fox 5 details, some of the traffic around the bridge will be redirected beginning at 10 a.m. this morning. But the worst will be saved for overnight on Friday, when traffic will be reduced to a single lane. Hateful Vandalism Galore: What the hell is going…

An Examiner story this morning is designed to fill you with dread for the coming D.C. Pricepocalypse. According to a study released Wednesday by George Mason University professor Stephen Fuller, the average price of a home in the national capital region likely will swell almost 3,000 percent in 50 years. The study predicts the average home in the metro area will be $14 million in 2057, compared to today’s average of $477,000. As if your…

Ahhhh, the real start of summer: The consistently warmer temperatures … the first night you venture wearing skimpy clothes out … the year’s first Code Orange Bad Air Quality Day. However you prefer measuring the start of the season, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is predicting our first Code Orange air quality day today, meaning ozone levels are predicted to be extremely high and the air quality very poor. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission…

Quick, informal poll: Raise your hand if your drive, slug, or Metro to work each day. Now keep your hand raised if you hate your commute. One more — keep your hand up if you have a bike. For all of you out their that still have your hands up (virtually, at least), why not pull that old dusty Diamondback off the back porch, give it the WD-40 treatment, and ride it to work for…

>> Was your commute this morning a mess thanks to a failure on the part of WMATA to plan for the DST switch? [DC Metblogs] >> Remember when we asked you about police presence in your neighborhood? Don’t forget to fill out the MPD’s official Community Survey before it closes on Wednesday, so you can tell them what’s going on where you live directly. >> Army Surgeon General has requested early retirement in the…

A Tenleytown hardware store was robbed by two armed, masked men this morning, prompting a mile-long police chase through the neighborhood, complete with accompanying U.S. Park Police helicopter. If your commute through this area was hell on Earth today, feel free to send these lovely robbers a thank-you note. The Post says that an employee of the Ace Hardware store in the 4500 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW was ambushed by the robbers while taking…

Happy Valentine’s Day, Washington. It’s icy out! And, as Encino Man taught us, where there’s ice, puzzlement and disorientation won’t be far behind. We know you’ve got questions: will your power stay on on? Will you have to go into work? How horrible is your commute going to be? We’ll get to that in a second. But first, we must remind you of the traditional Washington area winter storm news edict: THERE SHALL BE NO…

We’ve got not one, but two press conferences in the next hour and a half, signaling the end of the 2006 Senate races. At 3 p.m., Sen. George Allen will hold a press conference at the Carlyle House in Alexandria to concede the election to Jim Webb. At least, that’s the speculation and expectation of Democrats everywhere who are breathing sighs of relief. Though it’s likely Allen is playing nice in order to resurrect his…