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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Marion Barry was censured and fined $13,600 by the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability for taking almost $7,000 in gifts from two city contractors.
LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:
- Police say they arrested 21-year-old Phillip Liverpool for robbing three 7-Eleven stores in Northeast. [NBC4]
- D.C.’s Board of Ethics and Government Accountability issued a notice violation to former Councilmember Michael Brown, who took $55,000 in bribes from undercover federal agents. Brown could be fined up to three times that amount. [Loose Lips]
- D.C. Public Schools will begin random drug testing this fall—-as required by a 9-year-old law the system has not complied with until now. [WTOP]
- The D.C. Public Service Commission has scheduled a hearing Friday on alternative energy suppliers that are scamming residents with higher prices than Pepco. [Post]
RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:
Boomtown Redux: The June 2013 D.C. Economic Indicators show employment increasing 4.4 percent among District residents, but do we have the American taxpayer to thank?
Fringe Benefits: A raft of Fringe previews as the annual theater-and-other-weird-stuff festival kicks off.
Respect for the Food: Is D.C.’s food scene lacking? A Washington Post magazine essay says so. City Paper Food Editor Jessica Sidman says hell no.
Jam Filter: It is summer, and that means it is time for some D.C. summer jams.
Photo of the Day: Woman With Dog
LOOSE LIPS, by Will Sommer (tips? wsommer@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Marion Barry censured, fined over contractor gifts. [AP, Times]
- Five members of D.C. Council will consider sanctions against Barry. [Post]
- Black residents make up 90 percent of drug possession arrests in District. [Post]
- Hillary Clinton and Jeff Thompson are “pals.” [Huffington Post]
- Firefighters injured in Cleveland Park fire. [NBC 4]
- Metro operators turned off emergency intercoms. [Post]
HOUSING COMPLEX, by Aaron Wiener (tips? awiener@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Unnamed sources say Mayor Vince Gray will veto living wage bill. [@tomsherwood]
- Capitol Gateway may fall apart if Walmart pulls out. [@Sherrie]
- Is D.C. strong enough to take on Walmart? [Atlantic Cities]
- D.C.’s weakening apartment market is about supply, not demand. [WBJ]
- Bidding wars are falling off in D.C. [Redfin]
- Social media uproar ends policy against photographing building permits. [GGW]
- Some neighbors upset as The Coupe plans sidewalk invasion. [New Columbia Heights]
- A tiny house update [UrbanTurf]
- Judge tells landlord to restore power or face jail time. [WJLA]
- Today on the market: Spacious 1BR by Van Ness Metro
ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer (tips? aschweitzer@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- The backstory behind Wayne Perry, the notorious D.C. hit man Jay-Zreferences on his track “Tom Ford” [WTOP]
- The D.C. Docent just doesn’t get Adrian Parsons. [D.C. Docent]
- Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington raises more than $100 million. [Washingtonian]
- The New York Times weighs in on the resignation of Hirshhorn board chairConstance Caplan. [New York Times]
- The Julie Ruin debuts its new music video for “Oh Come On,” and it’s pretty great. [Spin]
- Virgin Mobile FreeFest maaaay happen on Sept. 21. [DCist]
- Animal Collective cancels July tour dates due to illness. [Baltimore City Paper]
FOOD LINKS, by Jessica Sidman (tips? hungry@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Where to pick berries this summer [Washingtonian]
- Take a look at BonChon‘s Arlington location, opening July 15. [Eater]
- Where to get great iced coffee [Refinery 29]
- The Big Cheese is opening a storefront in Dupont. [Twitter via Food Truck Fiesta]
- Mix Bar and Grill to replace Bezu in Potomac. [Post]
- Three best friends prepare for August opening of Bracket Room in Clarendon. [NoVa Mag]
- Put an egg on it. [Express]