A deliberative roundup of one city’s local politics. Send your tips, releases, stories, events, etc. to lips@washingtoncitypaper.com. And get LL Daily sent straight to your inbox every morning!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

The Day At The Wilson Building

The King of Campaign Cash

Vince Gray, International Man of Mystery

Good morning sweet readers! It’s Thursday, which means that if you find yourself time traveling back to the ’90s, there’s a new episode of Seinfeld on tonight. For those of you without a DeLorean, this week’s dead tree edition of Washington City Paper is now out and about. LL’s column this week follows the money and looks at just how much moula the politically connected accountant Jeff Thompson has funneled to various political campaigns. LL was able to link more than $600,000 in campaign contributions to Thompson over the last decade, which, you know, seems like a lot. News time:

Lotto Confusion: LL’s bosses are giddy with anticipation of being able to spend much of their work day losing playing video slot machines from the comfort of their offices. What, you thought video slots were a no-go in the District? Wrong! Turns out video slots, err, “random-number-generated machines” are part of the fun of the online gambling games D.C. Lottery plans to offer. When exactly those games come online was the focus, among many other things, of yesterday’s council hearing on an online gambling law that tiptoed through the council last December. Per the Post: “D.C. Lottery officials had said in recent days that they would rely on a network of hundreds of WiFi hot spots in government buildings and commercial establishments to launch online betting across the city in September. But in response to calls Wednesday for a possible delay, lottery officials reversed course, saying they might focus first on allowing that betting in private homes.” Also up in the air, whether the feds think the District’s bid to be the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to offer online gambling is even legal. Prediction: this online gambling mess will make a connected few rich while extracting a heavy toll from the rest of the city. Any bets?

AFTER THE JUMP: Strippers Need Only Apply; General Mills Is Better Than Oatmeal;  More Money for Cops…

Now That’s Job Creation: WAMU’s Patrick Madden has the scoop that a District website to help jobseekers has a posting for an “exotic dancer” at the Stadium Club. “The job description cites strip and pole dancing—that’s naked and partially clothed, both solo and in a group, it specifies. Pay is based on experience.” On the website, it says the salary is $7.69 an hour. Hey! That’s more than LL makes!

Why Does LL Suddenly Want Cheerios?: This one from D.C. Watch’s Dorothy Brizill is so good LL’s just going to run the whole thing: “Last Thursday, June 23, at the kickoff of the mayor’s Healthy Summer initiative, announcing that Wal-Mart was granting $655,000 to six DC organizations, DC’s State Superintendent of Education Hosanna Mahaley spoke to a gymnasium full of government officials, nonprofit service providers, and fifty to seventy-five young children in the front rows of the audience. I E-mailed Ms. Mahaley about her remarks: ‘I would like you to comment on your remark at this morning’s Healthy Summer Kick-Off. As you may recall, you indicated to the audience that General Mills was one of the District’s ‘partners.’ You then asked the kids sitting in the first few rows if they knew what General Mills makes. The kids responded, ‘Cereal.’ You then asked, ‘What else?’ The kids responded, ‘Yogurt.’ You then stated to the assembled audience, ‘When the new Wal-Mart opens, remember to ask your parents to buy cereal and yogurt made by General Mills.’ As the State Superintendent of Education, do you think your remarks were appropriate, especially with regards to promoting the opening of a new Wal-Mart store in DC and the purchasing of General Mills products?’ Ms. Mahaley responded, ‘It is typical to recognize corporate and philanthropic partners for their contributions to the District. As someone who benefited from the Free Summer Meals program as a child, I am very excited about the opportunities it provides low-income children, and was probably a little too enthusiastic around my appreciation for their support for the District’s children. Thanks for your E-mail.'”

Money For Cops: Thanks to extra revenue from the current fiscal year, Mayor Vince Gray told the council yesterday that there will be money to hire new cops, fund schools nurses, and, oh yeah, give a $32 million bump to the city’s Medicaid contractors (one of which is owned by Thompson, dontcha know). LL can’t find it online, but in the Examiner print version, police union boss Kris Baumann says Gray still isn’t doing enough to address a looming police shortfall. Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans put everyone on notice at a meeting with the council and the mayor that he’s still looking for money to prevent new taxes on out-of-District municipal bonds, and some councilmembers are wondering why so much extra money is needed for the Medicaid providers. Department of Health Care Finance Director Wayne Turnage says the increase is necessary to make the District’s medicaid rates to past muster with the actuaries.

Street Car Delay: Who is ready for some street car ridin’? Tough. They won’t be ready until 2013, instead of 2012 as earlier foretold, reports WTOP. Neither ‘TOP or the Post spell out what the reasons for the delay are. ““I think it’s just really a matter of . . . the construction time frame needed to complete all of the work … 2012 was the ambition . . . But, given what’s left to be done, that’s not going to be realistic,” says DDOT spokesman John Lisle. Oh, well, at least you tried. The good news: construction on H Street is mostly done and Gray had a presser saying as much today at 10 a.m.

In Other News:

• Washington Informer doesn’t find much enthusiasm in Ward 7 match between Councilmember Yvette Alexander and Ron Moten.
• Washington Teachers Union President Nathan Saunders says IMPACT is racist and unfair to African-American women, and he will fight it in court.
• Anonymous donor (ok, it was LL) gives DCPS $1.5 million for sport programs.
• Some cool shots on this Post feature about the Goodman league at Barry Farm.
• D.C. fire department to be more accommodating to pregnant fire fighters.
• UDC is a bargain.

MISSED THIS YESTERDAY: “A convicted Virginia IT contractor currently in prison for bribing District officials is waging a battle with the city over unpaid consulting he claims was performed according to his contracts,” reports LL’s favorite Neibauer.

Mayor sked: Press event on renovations to H Street, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 10 a.m. Visit to senior citizen’s summer picnic, Oxon Run Park, 11:15 a.m. Luncheon with D.C. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Circle Partners, Fedex International Affairs Office, noon. Recording community investment video, John A. Wilson Building, 2:30 p.m. Remarks on Transformers Movie Screening, Gallery Place/Chinatown Theatre, 4:15 p.m.

Council sked: Committee of the Whole and Committee on Housing and Workforce Development roundtable on adult education, Room 500 JAWB, 10 a.m. Committee on Government Operations and the Environment hearing, Room 412 JAWB, 2 p.m.