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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Good news for Pigskins fans: injured quarterback Robert Griffin III will probably be able to play in Sunday’s game against the Eagles.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Longer Metro trains take a holiday break. [Examiner]
  • D.C.’s school lunch program losing more than $10 million a year. [Post]
  • Mayor Vince Gray having trouble getting D.C. Council approval on traffic items. [Examiner]
  • RGIII fined for attending press conference wearing clothes from non-NFL sponsor. [WTOP]
  • Alleged Georgetown murder suspect Albrecht Muth fit to stand trial. [City Desk]
  • Ahead of the NRA’s big Friday press conference, a melancholy mood at its NoVa museum. [Post]

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

Photo of the Day: Page Three Photo.

New Council Candidate: Ex-Washington City Paper Loose Lips and Washington Post reporter Elissa Silverman announced her run for the spring at-large election yesterday.

Rotten Apples?: Emails from an anonymous ex-employee at the Bethesda Apple store reveal machinations between D.C. metro area locations.

So Long, and Thanks for All The Fish Eggs: What’s hot at local restaurants’ Mayan apocalypse celebrations? Caviar, caviar, caviar.

Take That, Syrup People: New Census data reveals that the District now has more people than Wyoming and Vermont. Not that the new increased population does much for voting rights.

Sleighed: The pitiless Sleigher holiday song takedown rolls ever onward to that holiest of nights. Latest victims include Voice judge Cee Lo Green and “Southern-speaking” rapper Krispy Kreme.

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

  • Officials keep pushing back the date in which they might explain what happened to the $4 million in financial irregularities at Jeff Thompson’s Medicaid company. [WBJ]
  • David Catania is “so excited” to be leading the city’s education committee. Tommy Wells is the new judiciary committee boss. [Post]
  • Muriel Bowser now boss of economic development committee, making her the development community’s new best friend. [WBJ]
  • Yvette Alexander is new health committee chairman, which may impact the forthcoming health insurance exchange. [WBJ]
  • DCPS food contract is an “abomination” that is way over budget. [Examiner]
  • Fired UDC president Allen Sessoms isn’t going without a fight, wants his $295,000-a-year salary. [Post]
  • Kwame “Fully Loaded” Brown starts a consulting firm. [Post]

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

  • NoMa’s 1st Street NE comes into its own. [Curbed]
  • Old City Green will reopen on Rhode Island Avenue NW in March. [Borderstan]
  • 168 bids for a house on 4th Street NE [Post]
  • D.C.’s hidden gems, sans tourists. [Scout Mob]
  • Dan Tan talks Federal Triangle South and Hoover Building. [WBJ]
  • Zoning Commission to consider office building at M and South Capitol SE. [JDLand]
  • Nearby, a 13-story luxury apartment building gets its construction permit. [WBJ]
  • D.C.’s no longer leading the pack in economic recovery. [Brookings]
  • More crosswalks, shorter bike lanes in New Jersey Ave NW redesign. [GGW]
  • Today on the market: Brick beauty in Anacostia

ARTS LINKS, by Caroline Jones (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Before their show at Comet, dance rockers Heavy Breathing talk about their sound and their decision to perform without a regular vocalist. [DCist]
  • The owners of Takoma Park’s Video Americain discuss the store’s last days and the importance of movies in general. [Post]
  • Local musicians share their favorite songs and musical moments from the year. [We Love DC]
  • It’s hard to believe but Rockville art gallery VisArts has been around for a quarter century. To celebrate, gallery founders Judy Greenberg and Jack Rasmussen have curated “Review Renew,” a show featuring current and not so current works by local artists. [Post]

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

  • Where to eat in Reagan National Airport [Eater]
  • Tom Sietsema‘s top newcomers of 2012 [Post]
  • St. Regis hotel bar undergoing renovations [Washingtonian]
  • First peek at Batter Bowl Bakery, coming to H Street NE [Frozen Tropics]
  • Progress at Bakehouse and Taqueria Nacional building [PoP]
  • 19 hours with Neighborhood Restaurant Group pastry chef Tiffany MacIsacc [NoVa Mag]