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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Once ravaged by the 1968 riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Columbia Heights has made significant progress as a result of investments by the District and private businesses. But in recent years, crime, a shortage of affordable housing, and other quality-of-life issues have undermined some residents’ faith in the neighborhood. This week’s City Paper cover story looks at the state of affairs in Columbia Heights, how it got there, and its prospects for the future. 

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

• After criticism, more weekend closures associated with SafeTrack may be on the way for Metro. [WAMU]
• Two adult sons are alleged to have stabbed their fathers in separate incidents on Wednesday. [Post, FOX5]
• A driver died after crashing into a Metro bus on Alabama Avenue SE yesterday afternoon. [NBC4, WTOP]
• A man shot on Georgia Avenue NW last Friday has died at a local hospital, according to D.C. police. [Post]
• Union Station was evacuated yet again on Wednesday afternoon. [FOX News]
• The Drug Enforcement Administration will keep almost $18,000 recovered at Union Station in 2014. [AP]
• New crime pattern: Thieves targeting high-end cars with “keyless technology” in leafy Palisades. [FOX5]
• More on the design of the imminent National Museum of African American History & Culture. [LA Times] 

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

• Gooses, Geeses: Food purveyor D.C. Central Kitchen will prep 100 pounds of goose meat sourced locally.
• RIP “Da Gator”: WPFW blues and jazz DJ Rick Bolling, who retired two years ago, died on Aug. 2, at 82. 
• “Best of D.C.”: Local big-shot chefs met at the James Beard House in New York earlier this week to cook.

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

• Some Dem state committee members rankle under Anita Bonds‘ support for Robert White. [Times]
• Destination D.C. quashes NRA tourism ad. [WBJ]
• Super PAC backed LaRuby May in Ward 8 race. [WAMU]
• District fails to lure tech company from Arlington. [WBJ]
• Residential might not be coming to Capitol Crossing after all. [WBJ]

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

• National Portrait Gallery’s latest addition: A striking portrait of freed Muslim slave Yarrow Mamout. [Post]
• Come for the video of Beautiful Swimmers at the Dekmantel Festival, stay for the horrible dad joke lede. [Bandwidth]
• Hamiltonian Gallery will be turned into a music venue/greenhouse for a new exhibition. [DC Music Download]

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

• D.C. is the food city of the year. Duh. [Bon Appétit]
• Help The Passenger pay its rent at a party. [Borderstan]
• Pasta Mia’s replacement opens Friday in Adams Morgan. [Washingtonian]
• Pizza tastes better when it’s half off. [Eater]
• Ever wonder what Cirque du Soleil performers eat? [Thrillist]