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

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Although D.C.’s minimum wage is set to rise to $15 an hour by 2020 thanks to a law passed earlier this year, low-wage workers in the metropolitan area often struggle to make ends meet. From child care to transportation, they face many hard choices.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • An attorney says there’s proof behind a contracting shake-up at a D.C. department. [WAMU]

  • Outgoing Police Chief Cathy Lanier says prosecutors are bungling criminal releases. [Post]

  • Lanier got a send-off from the Washington Nationals over the weekend. [NBC4, WUSA9]

  • The Rhode Island Avenue Metro station reopened Sunday. [Post]

  • A man was arrested yesterday for a sexual assault on Metro’s Orange Line. [FOX5, WTOP]

  • High temperatures return this week in what will hopefully be the final summer heat wave. [Post]

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

  • Stand Back, Doors Closing: A Metro-inspired restaurant in NoMa has shuttered.

  • Cheap Beer: Local tastemakers sound off on their budget beers of choice.

  • Failure to Launch: A former Occupy D.C. activist didn’t secure enough petitions to make it onto the November ballot for the Council.

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Will Sommer (tips? wsommer@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • PE requirements are ignored at many schools. [Post]

  • Mark Lee: Data should give the District pause about $15 minimum wage hike. [Blade]

  • Our municipal playground firetruck nightmare is almost over. [Borderstan]

  • Post ed board: new chancellor at DCPS, but not new stance on reform. [Post]

  • City: Maybe this 2-year-old isn’t a litter scofflaw. [Post]

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

  • President Barack Obama certainly embraced pop culture, but did he embrace high art? [Post]

  • Read an interview with local producer and Proper Vibes co-founder Cautious Clay. [DC Music Download]

  • Meet Maryland singer-songwriter Bibi Bourelly, the woman behind Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money.” [DCist]

  • Justin Bieber’s guitarist is punk as hell, wears a bootlegged Fugazi T-shirt. [Washingtonian]

  • The White House is hosting its own SXSW festival, SXSL. [WCP]

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

  • D.C. restaurants serve cool food mash-ups. [Post]

  • 10 chefs that could be a fit for Trump’s D.C. hotel. [BYT]

  • Playing matchmaker with museums and restaurants. [DC Refined]

  • D.C.’s best sports bars for football season. [Eater]

  • The best oyster happy hour in your neighborhood. [Thrillist]

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

  • The high cost of living in the D.C. region could be driving prospective workers away. [Post]

  • Capitol Hill has been the most popular D.C. neighborhood for summer Airbnb stays. [Housing Complex]

  • New construction could come to the MedStar Georgetown Hospital by year’s end. [WBJ]

  • Data: It takes longer for ambulances to respond to calls for service east of the Anacostia River. [Greater Greater Washington]