A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com.

Medea Benjamin’s nearly 50-year career as an activist began when she was in high school. “My sister had a boyfriend who was sent off to Vietnam and about six months later sent her home the ear of a Viet Cong as a necklace to wear,” she says. “I was so disgusted by that, I remember throwing up and saying I’m going to become an anti-war activist.” Since then, the work has paid off, with tangible concessions from corporate targets and others. But the government is tougher.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Looks like members of the Burundi robotics team orchestrated their own disappearance, to their coach’s surprise. [Post, AP]

  • It’s practically crisp outside today (but it won’t last). [Post]

  • Opioid overdose cases continue to rise in Montgomery County. [WAMU]

  • A rebuilt Beach Drive will reopen next month. [WTOP, NBC4]

  • A tornado rips through Maryland, causing damage and power outages. [ABC7, WTOP]

  • Reflections on Metro one month after SafeTrack ends. [Post]

  • The Kendrick Lamar pop-up shop in Georgetown was very popular. [Post]

  • A disagreement over jail time for fare evasion on Metro. [NBC4]

  • Man gets stuck in trash chute while trying to retrieve his cell phone. [WTOP]

  • The guy who wanted to marry his laptop sues Congress members over rainbow flags. [ABC7]

RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Jeffrey Anderson (tips? jeff.anderson@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • As Bowser re-election looms, longtime welfare recipients won’t face “cliff.” [Post]

  • Vance’s final story: An interview with National Museum of African American History and Culture founder, Lonnie Bunch. [NBC4]

  • Eleanor Holmes Norton memorializes the late anchor on the House floor. [NBC4]

  • Shock Alert: DCPS ignored warnings about unreported student suspensions. [Post]

  • Trump shakes up Metro board with a pair of former Bush appointees. [WAMU]

ARTS LINKS, by Matt Cohen (tips? mcohen@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Five shows in the D.C. area to check out this week. [DC Music Download]

  • A reality show set on Capitol Hill from producers of Catfish is apparently coming. [DCist]

  • DC Murals founder Perry Frank on her long-standing project. [East City Art]

  • Capital Fringe founder Julianne Brienza discusses the festival’s impact. [DC Theatre Scene]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Laura Hayes (tips? lhayes@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Piping hot: new doughnut alert at Union Market. [WCP]

  • Another accolade for D.C.: Columbia Room is the best bar in America. [Washingtonian]

  • D.C. is getting a shakshuka restaurant. [Post]

  • There are still plenty of places to eat in Cleveland Park. [Eater]

  • Good news for haters: The craft cocktail revolution has run its course. [Thrillist]

HOUSING COMPLEX LINKS, by Andrew Giambrone(tips? agiambrone@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • The increasingly complicated relationship between Howard U and its neighbors. [WAMU]

  • D.C. implements reforms to major welfare program for poor families, at a cost. [Post]

  • Regional condo sales are down, but prices—particularly in D.C.—are up. [UrbanTurf]

  • About 300 low-income D.C. residents to get solar panels on their homes. [Curbed DC]

  • $2,400 per month can actually still rent you a two-bedroom in the District. [Curbed DC]

  • Many homes in the D.C. region remain inaccessible to people with disabilities. [GGW]

  • When historic preservation doesn’t mean cutting the height of a D.C. building. [GGW]

  • Vox goes wild for Greater Greater Washington and Coalition for Smart Growth. [Vox]

  • Where to find D.C.’s 10 old houses. (You should be able to name one.) [Curbed DC]

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