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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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Has the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority found a money tree? It seems like it. Although the organization has been criticized for wasteful spending, MWAA execs landed big raises this year.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • D.C. Council blocks hire of 100 more cops. [Examiner]
  • Even though gay marriage is legal in Maryland, gay couples there won’t file joint tax returns. [WTOP]
  • Council moves campaign finance to 2013. [Times]
  • Marion Barry‘s ex-offender bill goes down. [WJLA]
  • Alleged Fairfax County butt slasher extradited back to U.S. from Peru. [Post]
  • Energy-drink pushers are after our youth. [Post]
  • Soon-to-be-ex at-large Councilmember Michael Brown heads to Newschannel 8 at 10 a.m. to announce future plans. Like running again? [Twitter]

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

Photo of the Day: Today’s Sky.

Campaign Finance Deform: It’s always been hard to track corporate campaign contributions in D.C. politics, but now, thanks to the D.C. Council, it’s even harder.

Karaoke on Two Wheels: A D.C. karaoke league wants to take its amateur singing mobile with a bike-mounted karaoke machine.

Fly Away Hume: D.C. prog-poppers Hume are calling it quits.

Pop: The District’s best homebrewer is taking on a new challenge: draft-only soda.

Food Deserted: Can a grocery store survive in Anacostia? Maybe if it’s across from the Anacostia Metro Station, according to an in-depth new map.

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

  • Michael Brown to announce he’s running, er, whether he’s running in special election on Newstalk today at 10 a.m. [Twitter]
  • Campaign finance reforms put off until next year, maybe. [Times]
  • Harry Jaffe: Vince Gray is cop-friendly mayor. [Examiner]
  • Council rejects mayor’s plan for more cops. [Examiner]
  • Marion Barry’s ex-offender bill dies, Barry says his white colleagues support discrimination. [WBJ, WJLA]
  • Howard Town Center gets an $11 million tax break neither the mayor nor CFO say is needed. [Post]
  • Child and Family Services is close to being out from under federal oversight. [WAMU]

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

  • Pinch your pennies: Water bills going up by 30 cents to pay for flood relief fund. [WJLA]
  • The maker of the Bushmaster rifle doesn’t like suburban sprawl. [TNR]
  • And the New Republic is moving to new digs on 9th Street NW. [WBJ]
  • Residents of 25 cities can now check out their Bike Scores. [Walk Score]
  • CityCenter gets its skywalks. [DC Metrocentric]
  • It’s not just smart growth that relies on the government. [GGW]
  • D.C.’s chief librarian wins the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture. [AIA]
  • Chinatown regulars are practiced Barnes Dancers. Here’s the dance’s history. [Atlantic Cities]
  • Today on the market: A cozy home just a block from the freeway!

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

  • Yes, it’s true: D.C. theater companies are warming up to local playwrights [Post]
  • The Washington Post rounds up albums it—or you, perhaps—slept on in 2012 [Post]
  • Pink Line Project talks to local bloggers and artists about their favorite music of the year [Pink Line Project]

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

  • Critic Todd Kliman‘s most memorable meals of 2012 [Washingtonian]
  • The 10 best new restaurants of 2012 [The Plate]
  • The D.C. area’s 13 hottest restaurants of 2012 [Zagat]
  • Iron Gate Inn opening delayed until spring. [Eater]

Pizzeria Paradiso gets in on the Mayan apocalypse action [DC Beer]

Peregrine serving Geisha coffee for $7.50 [Post]

Charges filed against Canadian maple syrup thieves [NPR]