A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from Washington City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com. Sign up: To get District Line Daily—or any of our other email newsletters—sent straight to your mailbox, click here.

D.C.’s top attorney has agreed to let federal investigators review city documents (“all Mayoral documents”) related to the $7.5 million District settlement with Jeff Thompson‘s Medicaid firm. Thompson allegedly financed the shadow campaign during Mayor Vince Gray‘s 2010 mayoral run.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Three people—two of them teens—were stabbed last night near a recreation center near East Capitol Street SE. [Post]
  • More taxi modernization struggles in D.C.: One of the credit card providers ceased its operations, leaving hundreds of cabs without credit card readers. [City Desk]
  • D.C. to Baltimore in 15 minutes? A business group wants to bring over a super-fast magnetic levitation train to make it happen. [WTOP]
  • Less than a week to go until the baby panda makes her public debut at the National Zoo. In the meantime, here are some photos of the photogenic Bao Bao. [Post]

RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY: Fiction Issue: ICYMI, our second annual Fiction Issue, featuring tales of the District from best-selling author Louis Bayard and the three winners of our short story contest. If you like it, come to our reading Jan. 19 at Politics & Prose.

Slow Motion: Its realization has been very slow, and once it actually transport passengers, the H Street streetcar will move slow, as well.

Calling All Punks: Want to find the best punk shows in D.C.? Bookmark these pages.

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

  • U.S. Attorney’s Office, District attorney general reach a deal on disputed Jeff Thompson documents. [Post, LL, NBC 4]
  • Ward 1 D.C. Council candidate Beverley Wheeler drops out, endorses Brianne Nadeau. [LL]
  • Post ed board goes hard on Gray’s kick-off apology. [Post]
  • Gray campaign debuts online video. [Post, LL]
  • Mayoral candidate Christian Carter has his petitions challenged. [LL]
  • Activists file legalization ballot initiative with the Board of Elections. [WAMU]
  • Taxi credit card processor goes out of business. [WAMU, Post, City Desk]
  • “At least a dozen LGBT activists” turn out for Gray kick-off. [Blade]
  • Vernon Jordan put in charge of search for new Howard president. [Post]

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

  • To no one’s surprise, Logan car wash to become condo building. [UrbanTurf]
  • Wizards owner hunts for a downtown practice facility. (Good luck.) [Post]
  • London pioneers a solution to the hunt for a parking spot. [Atlantic Cities]
  • Foggy Bottom commands the highest prices per square foot of any D.C. neighborhood. [UrbanTurf]
  • Howard names leader of search for new president. [Post]
  • The polar vortex cracked a Metro rail. [DCist]
  • Today on the market: Georgetown 3BR condo—$4,850,000

ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer. (tips? aschweitzer@washingto

  • This is what the U Street Landmark theater will look like. [Curbed]
  • The Newsroom will get a third season. [Post]
  • Michelle Obama‘s second inaugural gown to go on view at American History Museum. [Post]
  • An interview with local folk artist Marian McLaughlin, recently reviewed in our pages. [D.C. Music Download]
  • Kerry Washington‘s “baby bump,” everybody. [WJLA]
  • Look at these photos of Priests. [BYT]
  • Smaller local stages: They exist. [Post]
  • Watch Afro Blue‘s Tiny Desk concert. [NPR]

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

  • The gluten-free guide to D.C. [BYT]
  • Arlington Eamonn’s becoming Society Fair. TNT stays. [Don Rockwell]
  • Thirteen critic-approved Restaurant Week choices [Post]
  • Who’s NOT doing Restaurant Week? [Eater]
  • Nine Restaurant Week best bets [Zagat]
  • Reston Limousine launches brewery tours. [NoVa Mag]