Recent Entries in News
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Levy Murder Trial Pushed Back While New Charges are Pending
Federal prosecutors plan to file additional charges against Chandra Levy's accused killer, Ingmar Guandique, the Post is reporting. The move will push the trial, originally scheduled to begin in January, all the way back to October, 2010. There's still no word on exactly what these new charges might be, but the change in trial date could end up coinciding with the end of Guandique's current 10-year prison term, which he's been serving for attacking two...
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Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
Photo courtesy Deborah Goss A fire broke out this morning inside an Indian restaurant in the 1700 block of L Street NW, leading to the evacuation of several nearby buildings. The fire at I-The Indian Experience, located at 1708 L Street NW, began in the kitchen and extended to some duct work, D.C. Fire/EMS spokesperson Pete Piringer said. Firefighters were called to the scene for a report of smoke conditions, and evacuations began after...
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Cafritz Suffers Second Fire
Cripes, Peggy Cooper Cafritz can't seem to catch a break. After her Chain Bridge Road mansion burned to the ground over the summer, she had another fire just a couple of weeks ago in the Georgetown apartment where she's been staying since, the Reliable Source reports today. Luckily, this most recent fire was confined to the laundry room, "but smoke invaded every cranny, and all her clothing had to be cleaned to remove the acrid...
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Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
Photo by rstavely Good morning, Washington. Still smarting from the outcome of that fairly stupid 'Skins v. 'Boys game? Well cheer up, it's one of the shortest work weeks of the year, and in just a couple days you'll be in the warm embrace of your own dysfunctional family. Hopefully the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie yet to be consumed can help dull the pain just a little. Developer Lacked Proper License for Gray's...
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The Manhattan Project
Photo by Bullneck The Catholic Church is shaking things up these days, huh? The same Church that silenced Galileo Galilei has acknowledged that aliens could maybe exist. Further, the Church says that xenomorphs might not require redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church is only talking astrobiology in theoretical terms right now, but what's preventing the Vatican from launching its own national space program? Could we see, you know, a mission...
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Early-Out/Easy-Out At Core Of Latest Fenty/Council Spat
Photo by LGography. Should the District's early-out/easy-out retirement payments be considered a "bonus"? This is the debate in the latest chapter of the overarching tiff between the Fenty administration and the D.C. Council. The Examiner's Michael Neibauer reports today that four District employees have been denied such exit payments by the Department of Human Resources, after the Council approved a 2010 budget which outlaws all "bonuses and special payments" to District employees. Employees enrolling...
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Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
Photo by David Clow - Maryland A congressional report issued yesterday by two ranking Republicans suggests that schools chancellor Michelle Rhee performed "damage control" for her now-fiance Kevin Johnson during investigations into Johnson's alleged sexual misconduct and misuse of Americorps funds at the St. Hope charter school he founded in Sacramento. Johnson, an ex-NBA player, is currently mayor of Sacramento. Rhee confirmed that the couple got engaged earlier this month. According to the New...
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You Think You've Got Problems
Even between the DPW fiasco, the WTOP/biking police escort kerfuffle, not being Superman, facing vital questions about crime, handling a significant legal tussle regarding policing strategies, dealing with his "all-purpose scandal-in-a-box" Sinclair Skinner, recognizing his struggles with the D.C. lottery contract, trying to rebuild OCTO after its bribery scandal, navigating the significant labor strife among teachers in our public schools, and drawing the general ire of the entire D.C. Council, it could always be worse...
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D.C. United Icon Ben Olsen To Retire
Ben Olsen, seen here holding off Real Madrid's Kaka in an August 2009friendly, will reportedly announce his retirement next week.Photo by Kyle Gustafson / http://www.photokyle.com Steve Goff had the big soccer news from RFK Stadium yesterday: D.C. United midfielder Ben Olsen will announce his retirement next week. Olsen, a tenacious midfielder who played in the World Cup for the United States men's national team in 2006, is about as Washingtonian an athlete as you'll...
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Report: CCDC Split From UDC Is "Critical To Success"
An independent report commissioned by DC Appleseed and the Brookings Institution has concluded that it is "critical to the success and sustainability of" the new Community College of the District of Columbia to sever ties with the University of the District of Columbia. UDC, which has always had plenty of problems balancing the hefty costs of a four-year university and its open-enrollment-assisted reputation as a two-year college, split focus in August into the University...
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Goals But No Grit Means 3-2 Loss for Capitals
Young Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth found himself looking into the back of his net one toomany times Friday night in a 3-2 loss. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) The Washington Capitals scored first, but the Montreal Canadiens scored more and won 3-2 on Friday night at the Verizon Center. The Caps' Eric Fehr netted the only goal of the first period for either team, but the Canadiens had twice as many shots on goal in...
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D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
The blog RH Reality Check posted an item yesterday alleging that Gennet Purcell, the District of Columbia's relatively new insurance commissioner, had surreptitiously conspired to make it possible for D.C. women to lose their birth control coverage. But the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, the agency Purcell runs, has since emphatically denied the story. Here's what RH Reality Check reporter Amie Newman wrote on Thursday:Under Purcell's watch, private insurance companies operating in Washington...
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Northeast Post Office Branch Spared From Closure List
The U.S. Postal Service today released yet another revised list of possible branch closures, and one D.C. office has been trimmed. The Northeast branch, located at 1563 Maryland Ave. NE, will stay. In Maryland, two other branches were also spared: the Friendship Heights branch, and the Silver Spring Center branch. The total list is now at only 241 post offices still under review nationwide, down from almost 3,300 at the beginning of the process....
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Same-Sex Marriage Foes Have Few Options on Hill
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Ut.) With the D.C. Council's same-sex marriage bill scheduled for a December 1 vote and a petition to put the issue on the ballot denied, opponents of same-sex marriage might finally have to live up to a threat they've been making in recent months: to take the issue to Congress. But a hearing on the Hill this week on legislation that could grant the District more budgetary and legislative autonomy showed...
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Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
From the ashes of the Washington Blade, DC Agenda has risen. The staff of the suddenly shuttered LGBT publication has managed to put together a new web site and "a modest, early iteration" of a print edition, both out today, less than a week after they all lost their jobs. From their introductory message:The former staff of the Washington Blade remains united and DC Agenda represents our effort at continuing the important mission and...
