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

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Embattled D.C. Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe announced he will retire in July. But the problems aren’t over at the fire department. The next mayor will oversee a department with longstanding tensions—-including such fundamentals as defining its size and mission.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles ordered car services Uber and Lyft to stop operating in the state. [Post]
  • But the companies say they’ll continue to operate in Virginia. [WAMU]
  • Anacostia High’s valedictorian talks about what it’s like to live in the D.C. General homeless shelter and to receive admission to Georgetown University on a full scholarship. [Post]
  • The District’s largest homeless shelter, which houses 1,000 single adults, failed its recent fire inspection test. [Post]
  • Georgetown Day School purchased the Tenleytown Safeway and a nearby car dealership as part of a massive expansion. [Housing Complex]

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

The Gay Issue: Happy Pride Week! Our annual Gay Issue is on stands, and right here, now. This year’s package features our abridged Encyclopedia of Gay D.C.-—a tribute to the ups and downs, ins and outs, and tops and bottoms of the D.C. LGBTQ community, from politics to parties to, of course, Pride.

Spliff Decisions: A comic showing the consequences of smoking pot on District land versus federal land.  

Traffic Jam: D.C. area traffic increases commuting times by 24 percent. Thankfully, there are 14 cities in North and South American that have worse traffic.

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

  • In wake of fire chief Kenneth Ellerbe‘s resignation announcement, David Catania and Muriel Bowser talk shift change proposal. [Post]
  • Ward 7’s Yvette Alexander says Ellerbe told her he wouldn’t run against her. [LL]
  • Backed by well-connected gay rights activist, wine bar owner Khalid Pitts kicks off his at-large bid. [LL]
  • Vincent Orange‘s anti-wage theft bill passes its first Council vote. [DCist]
  • Post ed board: District government should focus on planning the attorney general election, not fighting the appeals court ruling. [Post]
  • With many goals achieved, what’s left for gay activists in the District? [Post]
  • Homeless shelter flunks its fire inspection. [Post]
  • Jonetta Rose Barras: “Should a stadium be the District’s priority when its bridges are crumbling?” [Post]
  • Marijuana decriminalization in the District, in comic form. [City Desk]
  • Mayor Walter E. Washington gets the #tbt treatment. [WBJ]

HOUSING COMPLEX, by Aaron Wiener. (tips? awiener@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • A DDOT Q&A on the ambitious MoveDC plan. [Streetsblog part 1, part 2]
  • D.C.-area traffic slows you down by 24 percent, but be glad we’re not Rio. [City Desk]
  • The homes that were razed to build the Anacostia Metro. [GGW]
  • An interview with Anacostia High School’s valedictorian, who lives at the D.C. General shelter. [Post]
  • Washingtonians have better borrowing scores than residents of any state—and higher loans. [WBJ]
  • How surface parking lots destroyed American downtowns. [CityLab]
  • Today on the market: Mount Pleasant 1BR—$249,900

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

  • IT’S PRIDE. Find your perfect party with our flowchart. [Arts Desk]
  • An account of the food- and animal-based performance art of Anya Liftig, who’ll be at Delicious Spectacle on Saturday. [Peri0d]
  • Listen to preview mixes from aLamont, Nadastrom & Sabo, Jen Lasher, Will Eastman, and other members of the Union BBQ lineup. [Arts Desk]
  • Free concerts! All summer! [Post]
  • For the anniversary of Edward Snowden‘s NSA leak, a dancey music video about government spying from self-described “hip-hop civil rights lawyer”Shahid Buttar  [YouTube]
  • Here’s what the semi-finalists for the NoMa underpass art project have done in other spaces around the city. [DCist]
  • Get an exclusive look at the National Gallery of Art’s new Van Gogh under restoration before it goes on display this Sunday. [Arts Desk]

FOOD LINKS, by Jessica Sidman (tips? jsidman@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • An intern’s guide to eating and drinking in D.C. [Post]
  • Happy hours for every day of the week [Eater]
  • The rise of gibberish restaurant names [Grub Street]
  • Former DGS Delicatessen chef Barry Koslow heads to the W Hotel. [Washingtonian]
  • Five new bars to check out in D.C. [Zagat]
  • Brookland’s Finest is opening Monday. [PoPville]