District Line Daily: D.C.’s Clumsy Contract Maneuvers

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

At first a local bidder, Public Performance Management, learned it had won D.C.’s five-year, $100-million Sustainable Energy Utility contract. The District’s contracting officer approved the company for preference points that tipped the scales in its favor—but only to later deny the points and award the contract to Vermont Energy Investment Corp.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

In face of Medicaid rule change, D.C. won’t pay to keep seniors in home care. [WCP]
Georgetown Law professor spent 11 years in prison for robbing banks. [Post]
How federal crackdown on MS-13 gang might impact greater D.C. [WAMU]
The March for Science is tomorrow, and more marches are coming. [Post]
Road closures for the March for Science. [WTOP]
The story of a D.C. boy whose father died in a daytime shooting. [Post]
Pot activists were arrested at U.S. Capitol yesterday. [WUSA9]
A refresher course on D.C.’s marijuana laws. [WUSA9]
Weekend forecast: April showers. [Post]
Last night’s storm knocked down trees and power lines. [Post]
A few D.C. alleys will get permeable pavement to filter stormwater. [WTOP]
An artist will transform an old Metro car into benches and retail space. [NBC4]
When they arrived to buy the car, a gunman shot them. [FOX5]
Elijah Douglas, 16, has been missing from Southeast D.C. for a week. [WUSA9]

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

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

ICYMI: Post editorial board says Brandon Todd shows why we need campaign finance reform. [Post]
Evans backs 1 percent sales tax to fix Metro. [Times]
Chaffetz might quit before term expires. [DCist]
Hispanic journalists honor Armando Trull. [WAMU]
Hail Marion: Mayor for Life’s statue takes shape. [NBC4]
Backyard chicken chic is on the ropes. [Post]

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

GoldLink talks about how his latest D.C. musical collage, At What Cost, came together. [Post]
Yes, there’s a history of cannabis museum in D.C. now, because of course. [DCist]
Oddisee talks about his new album, The Iceberg, and returning home to D.C. [WCP]
Jowita Wyszomirska makes bold environmental statements through her latest exhibition at gallery neptune & brown. [WCP]
Pinky KillaCorn is about to drop a whole bunch of new music. [Post]

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

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

The District hasn’t secured land it needs for a homeless shelter in Ward 1. [WCP]
High construction costs and limited city budgets undermine affordability. [CityLab]
What it takes to be categorized as “low-income” by the federal government. [Vox]
Washington Gas is relocating its headquarters to the Southwest Wharf. [WTOP]
Law firm intends to move to new office building slated for Dupont Circle. [Bisnow]
Jair Lynch begins its renovation of old Howard University dorm property. [Bisnow]
Lots of amenities (bowling!) planned for development near Nationals Park. [WBJ]
Short-term luxury housing is coming to a new Dupont Circle project. [UrbanTurf]
CNN host Jake Tapper sells his Forest Hills home for $1.4 million. [Curbed DC]
Street outside the White House won’t get improvements due to security. [GGW]

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