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.

A cyclist was beaten on the Metropolitan Branch Trail yesterday afternoon, but it’s not clear why he was a target. Whoever attacked him and left him with a swollen eye didn’t rob the cyclist or take his bike.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Metro’s expecting a big budget surplus. [Examiner]
  • Majority of students in closing D.C. schools have enrolled in a new one yet. [Examiner]
  • Examiner columnist Harry Jaffe says goodbye to the paper, which is turning into a magazine at the end of the week. [Examiner]
  • Prince George’s parking officer accused of making false tickets to fulfill quota. [Times]

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

Photo of the Day: Man With Sousaphone.

Michael Brown Mystery: Merchandise from the Nationals and Pigskins played a role in former councilmember Michael Brown‘s bribery charge.

A Bug Life: The expanded bar and dining room at chef José Andrés‘ Oyamel has a butterfly theme.

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

  • Kenyan McDuffie, Tommy Wells say the obvious: Michael Brown plea makes the District government look bad. [WAMU]
  • Ron Machen‘s still after Jeffrey Thompson. [Examiner]
  • State Superintendent of Education resigns over husband’s health [Examiner]
  • Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton wants mayor to be able to call up National Guard [WAMU]
  • A guide to D.C. scandals, updated with Brown [WAMU]
  • Metro ending year with $20 million surplus [Examiner]
  • Harry Jaffe, in his last Examiner column, thinks Gray may be charged after all. [Examiner]

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

  • Southwest ANC votes to landmark I.M. Pei building to prevent nearby development. [SWTLQTC]
  • Three small residential buildings are coming to Sherman Avenue NW. [Park View DC]
  • Details of the “Congress Heights Town Center.” [East of the River]
  • And a few renderings. [Congress Heights on the Rise]
  • No, Fundrise won’t make you rich. That isn’t the point. [Atlantic Cities]
  • Church wants 14th Street NW bike lane moved so people can double park on Sundays. [Borderstan]
  • Rent this Georgetown house for $14,000 a month. [Georgetown Metropolitan]
  • Luxury condo building coming to Georgetown next year. [UrbanTurf]
  • Metro needs to tell us when rebuilding will be finished. [Post]
  • Pastoral Lafayette Park, ca. 1897. [Ghosts of DC]
  • Group to Mall: We’ll see your bones and raise you a giant quilt. [DCist]
  • Garage for sale for $1.9 million. [UrbanTurf]
  • More improvements needed for K Street. [GGW]
  • Today on the market: Heart of Trinidad

ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer (tips? aschweitzer@washingtoncitypaper.com)

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

  • Ten crave-worthy fried chicken dishes around D.C. [Zagat]
  • Former penitentiary offers tasting of prison food throughout the years. [NPR]
  • J&G Steakhouse is undergoing a makeover. [Post]
  • Quench owner looking to move to a bigger space and open a market. [Eater]
  • Five food/booze things to do this week [Washingtonian]
  • “Perfect chef” Peter Chang expands his empire in Fredericksburg. [HuffPost]
  • Spanish sandwich chain 100 Montaditos coming to Rosslyn. [ARLnow]
  • Wild boar feast at Mothership [BYT]