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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The District recorded its 102 homicide this Sunday, bringing the city within three of last year’s total number of homicides. Sunday’s victim, a 33-year-old man, was found in Deanwood; he was just one of several people affected by violence over the weekend.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

• Council Chairman Phil Mendelson on the recent spike in violence: “Homicides are up. Not just up, but up by 30 percent. Layer over that changing explanations and it gives people cause for real concern.” [Post]
• Mei Xiang gave birth to not one but two cubs over the weekend as her second born, Bao Bao, turned two. [City Desk, Post]
• Why are some D.C. charter schools able to raise millions while others fail to attract donations? [Post]
• It’s more expensive to buy in Arlington County than in D.C. [WBJ]
• Metro’s weekend disaster drill didn’t go perfectly. [WMAL]
• It matters which railcars Metro decides to retire first. [GGW]

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

• So Long, Farewell: Our outgoing arts editor shares what she’s learned.
• Texas Forever: Kolaches are now available in D.C.
• Your Edgier Cousin: Unified Scene Theater,  “a buttload of fun and awesomeness,” now open in Bloomingdale.

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

• The District’s homicide rate cracks 100 and keeps going. [WUSA9]
• Jack Evans: Stop asking me about the football team name, I’m trying to get a stadium. [LL]
• Phil Mendelson considers whether the D.C. Council should still give Jim Graham free legal service. [Post]
• Mendelson has some criticism for Muriel Bowser‘s handling of public safety. [Post]
• Guns from the South help drive crime spike. [WAMU]
• New site helps people with criminal records seal them. [City Desk]
• New OSSE boss faces agency with turnover at the top. [Post]
• Woman shot by police officer deemed unfit to stand trial. [Post]

ARTS LINKS, by Christina Cauterucci (tips? ccauterucci@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Lessons I’ve learned in my time as Washington City Paper‘s arts editor: Embrace the weird, save your craziest ideas for when your boss is out of the office, and don’t read the comments (except sometimes, do). Farewell, WCP. [Arts Desk]
• A DC Improv veteran opened a new performance and art space in Bloomingdale this weekend. [Arts Desk]
• A profile of the Washington Ballet’s Septime Webre and the company he’s built [Washingtonian]
• The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage netted a $1.24 million gift, the largest in its history, to preserve dying languages. [Post]
• Fun facts about the D.C. theater landscape and its history [DC Theatre Scene]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Jessica Sidman (tips? jsidman@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• A guide to Indian food in D.C. [BYT]
• A slideshow of the state of late-night dining in D.C. [UrbanDaddy]
• Why fancy toast is still kind of a thing [Post]
• Vietnamese restaurant Hoa Tuc coming to Shaw. [Borderstan]
• Korean fried chicken spot Dak Chicken opens in Shirlington. [Eater]
• Red Light will revamp and no longer focus on desserts. [Washingtonian]
• Dram & Grain among the 21 best bars in the country. [Thrillist]