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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In this week’s paper, available today: MPD Chief Cathy Lanier inherited 18 cops that the department wanted to fire, but couldn’t. Her attempts to fire them again made things even worse.
LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:
- Is Jack Evans too white to be mayor? [Times]
- Green Line fire leaves riders stuck. [Post]
- Crackdown on U-turns on Pennsylvania Avenue bike lane begins. [Examiner]
- Nats’ season tickets now on a SmarTrip-like card. [WTOP]
- Task force decision on whether to bury D.C.’s power lines delayed. [Examiner]
- Should D.C. ban ski masks because they’re popular with robbers? No. [Times]
- Ex-Metro cop sues for discrimination, alleges that white and Asian-American officers get away with worse. [City Desk]
RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:
Photo of the Day: Today’s Weather.
Phoenix?: Capitol Hill’s divey Hawk ‘n’ Dove got an update. But can a bar that some patrons say now feels like a cruise ship keep its gritty charm?
Jack’s Squat: The National Park Service wants to evict Jack’s Boathouse in Georgetown. But why are the feds picking on a beloved neighborhood boathouse?
RIP, Sockets: D.C.’s Sockets Records is closing after an eight year run. Its legacy: chronicling D.C. DIY’s weird years.
LOOSE LIPS, by Loose Lips columnist Alan Suderman. (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- LL’s cover on the rotten state of MPD’s internal affairs, where investigators sign off on reports they don’t actually believe in. [WCP]
- Who died and left the District $50 million? [WBJ]
- Task force studying whether to bury power lines blows deadline, much to Jack Evans’ annoyance. [Examiner]
- Kenyan McDuffie wants to know what the inspector general is doing with his $15 million a year. [Post]
- Taxis that take credit cards? Maybe in May. [Post]
- Vince Gray announces new resource center for ex-cons. [Examiner]
- Vincent Orange calls shenanigans on contracting dispute at United Medical Center. [Times]
- It would be nice if the president mentioned D.C. in State of the Union address. [Post]
- Marion Barry wants to spend $100 million of the city’s current surplus, will probably fail. [Post]
HOUSING COMPLEX, by Housing Complex columnist Aaron Wiener. (tips? awiener@washingtoncitypaper.com )
- City issues call for Walter Reed master developer. [WBJ]
- Fratty bar building in Dupont alley to become single-family house. [UrbanTurf]
- Condos coming to former auto repair shop space on Park Road NW. [Park View DC]
- Renderings of the firehouse/hotel coming to E Street SW. [Southwest TLQTC]
- Ceremonial work begins where actual work was already underway at Fort Totten Walmart. [WBJ]
- Big surprise: Walmart doesn’t like the big box living wage bill. [WBJ]
- Of all the country’s Sunday parking disputes, D.C.’s are the weirdest. [Atlantic Cities]
- City life diminishes a person’s powers of attention. [Atlantic Cities]
- The final report from the mayor’s task force on Bloomingdale/LeDroit flooding. [OCA]
- Today on the market: Six-unit Brightwood Park building
ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Spin awards moombah compilation Moombahton Forever an 8 out of 10 [Spin]
- Speakeasy DC’s first short-story collection to be released on Valentine’s Day [Twitter]
- Bethesda Barnes & Noble not going anywhere [Washington Business Journal]
- DCist’s list of the best up-and-coming bands in D.C. [DCist]
FOOD LINKS, by Jessica Sidman (tips? hungry@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Nopa Kitchen + Bar: the latest culprit in D.C.’s neighborhood name-shortening trend [City Desk]
- Food lover’s guide to where to watch the Super Bowl [Washingtonian]
- Where to dine with the stars in D.C. [Eater]
- Swedish chef will bring luxe menu to new Georgetown hotel restaurant [Post]
- New chef at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club [Bethesda Mag]
- Five neighborhood Italian gems [Zagat]