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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Uber and the D.C. Taxi Cab Commission are at it again, this time over what the commission describes as an automatic mandatory tip.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Civic associations divide along racial lines. [Post]
  • Quick-thinking Metro operator avoids killing track-jumper. [Post]
  • Debate set for how to spend D.C. surplus. [Examiner]
  • Snow ahead this week? [Post]
  • Surprise: Getting to Dulles without a car is a big hassle. [Examiner]
  • Attempted sexual assault at D.C. school. [Examiner]
  • Pedestrian deaths in D.C. area up in February. [Post]

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

Photos of the Day: St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Spa Spat: Centreville’s Spa World is in hot water after ejecting a transgender customer and claiming that it doesn’t allow LGBT customers. But that’s just a misunderstanding, says management.

Adios, Holishkes: The Jewish deli pop-up at Hogo is being replaced by Rose’s Luxury.

All Wet: Facing a lawsuit over its attempted eviction of Jack’s Boathouse in Georgetown, the National Park Service has chosen a new operator for the location.

Watching the Cops: Police chief Cathy Lanier‘s defense of botched firings raises more questions about the department’s internal affairs unit.

LOOSE LIPS, by Loose Lips columnist Alan Suderman. (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Gray administration now calling Jeff Thompson a “rotten businessman.” (That’s a far cry from early 2011 when Gray was trying to shovel millions Thompson’s way.) [Post]
  • Wags say Pat Mara and Michael Brown are frontrunners in special election. [Examiner]
  • It’s been nearly two years since Ron Machen got all up in Vince Gray’s business; some local pols say that’s plenty of time to make a case. [Examiner]
  • Yvette Alexander explains how the legislative process works. [Examiner]
  • Jim Graham affair means hard questions for inspector general. [Post]
  • Civic activism divided along racial lines. [Post]
  • Thompson loses bid to derail sale of Chartered Health Plan. [WBJ]
  • A recap of old council hearing on fire department [Post]

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

  • Congress is getting involved in the FBI headquarters search. [WBJ]
  • Developer proposes new bus rapid transit line to lure the FBI to Prince George’s County. [Post]
  • Uber is accused of charging illegal tips. [Examiner]
  • Georgia Avenue mixed-income development gets a boost. [Post]
  • And a new apartment building is coming just down the block. [Park View DC]
  • Agreed: This V Street NW house expansion looks preposterous. [WJLA]
  • Shaw development goes full steam ahead with acquisition of church. [WBJ]
  • Why big cities don’t have public broadband. [Atlantic Cities]
  • Today on the market: Columbia Heights mini-rowhouse

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

  • How Mingering Mike wound up in the Smithsonian [Post]
  • Local historian pens a history of Loudoun County African Americans who served in the Civil War. [Post]
  • Officials getting ready to predict the cherry blossoms’ peak bloom time for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. [AP via WJLA]
  • The third annual (e)merge Art Fair now accepting applications. [Art 202]
  • Drunk History films at Smith Commons [Post]
  • A profile of the three sister stage managers who work together for the first time on Washington National Opera’s Manon Lescaut [Post]
  • The story behind Bethesda’s new jazz and supper club [Post]
  • Local amateur stand-up comics make light of sequestration. [Post]
  • Sculpting the Phillips Collection’s Laib Wax Room [Post]
  • Not that anyone has ever wanted to see 300 photos of Rosslyn, but here are some of the sites where the Supernova performance art festival may hold performances. [Facebook via D.C. Performance Art]
  • George Washington‘s Constitution, rockin’ a library near you [AP via WJLA]
  • ArtJamz expands. [Post]
  • Smithsonian licenses some of its content to digital archive Cengage Learning. [WTOP]
  • Ford’s Theatre says its tours and programming won’t be affected by sequestration. [D.C. Theatre Scene]
  • In the new season of Veep, the VP gets “closer to power,” says Armando Iannucci. [Huffington Post D.C.]
  • “You’ll never hear about Foul Swoops moving to Brooklyn.” Talk to us in a few years, dudes. [Georgetown Voice]

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

  • Idea to ban on large sodas popular with D.C. Council candidates. [City Desk]
  • Eight nonfood celebs-turned-kitchen gurus [Zagat]
  • Inside Italian restaurant Ninnella in Capitol Hill [Dining Bisnow]
  • New K Street NW restaurant Look will not be Icelandic. [Washingtonian]
  • An arcade game that dispenses beer when you win [Drink DC]
  • Funny or Die’s “Drunk History” films at Smith Commons. [Post]
  • Carolina Restaurant for sale in Columbia Heights [PoPville]