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Pick up a dead-tree City Paper today and nourish your mind with this week’s cover: from the food to the fans, an exploration of the play-off Nationals.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Suspects in brutal Capitol Hill beating arrested. [Times]
  • Herndon family was killed when father shot wife and sons, then himself. [Post]
  • Pepco gets half the rate increase it wanted. [Examiner]
  • Pepco union gets closer to a strike. [Post]

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

Photos of the Day: Zombie.

Kwame in Trouble: Disgraced ex-Council chairman Kwame Brown is due back in court on October 9 for an unspecified violation. But a violation of what?

Contingency Plans: The Nationals could soon add a fifth president to the presidents race lineup, according to rumors. Here are some suggestions.

Bar Cat: Chalk up another victim to a changing Washington: H Street bar Red Palace’s pet cat and sometimes emotional support animal, Al.

Power Plays: After the derecho disaster, some want Pepco to bury its lines. That means a hefty bill, though.

Realitypolitik: Appearing on Top Chef requires elaborate secrecy for D.C. chefs. In Young & Hungry this week, how competing chefs avoid blowing their covers.

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

  • Is there anything in the discredited CBE program worth saving? [Post]
  • Pepco workers on the brink of strike; Mary Cheh unhappy public service commission approved rate hike. [Post]
  • Pols get turn on excavator to tear down Skyland. [Times, NBC4]
  • Ward 8’s Phil Pannell raises money in Ward 4. [Informer]
  • Barbara Lang likely to be approved to MWAA despite labor opposition. [Post]
  • Post thinks “it’s clear” that Jeff Thompson won’t be cooperating with feds soon. [Post]
  • IG: Dept of Human Services didn’t report abuse to police. [Examiner]

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

  • Anacostia’s BID inches forward. [DCmud]
  • Work begins on Cathedral Commons. [WBJ]
  • Will “Zipcar for scooters” come to D.C.? [UrbanTurf]
  • Biking brings big bucks. [Bike League]
  • Howard opens a traffic safety research center. [Post]
  • In Gaithersburg, the future of sustainable suburbia [Atlantic Cities]
  • In an ideal world, the Greyhound terminal closure would be good news for bikers. [WashCycle]
  • Mayor Gray operates heavy machinery at Skyland demolition. [DCist]
  • CaBi sets a ridership record. [@bikeshare]
  • Today on the market: Bank-owned Brookland bungalow

ARTS LINKS, by Jonathan L. Fischer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • The great vintage-shop die-off of 2012? Vintage Darling, Black-Eyed Susie, and Annie Creamcheese shut down. [Washingtonian]
  • New Deleted Scenes video: a little bit Jean Cocteau, a little bit Inception. And guest-starring Pree‘s May Tabol. [IFC]
  • Everything you need to know about fake IDs. Just kidding, kids! [D.C. Clubbing/Panorama]
  • The revamped Phillips Collection website looks nice. [D.C. Docent]
  • Meanwhile, “The ‘new’ Hirshhorn website still induces dizziness, among plenty of other problems. (Tiny JPEGs!) Amazing that it hasn’t been scrapped.” [@TylerGreenDC]
  • Local hardcore show dives deep on Florida hardcore. [Dissonance]

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

  • Inn at Little Washington staff learns ballet. [Washingtonian]
  • Chefs share fast-food cravings. [Zagat]
  • Absolute Noodle coming to Chinatown. [PoP]
  • Gourmet meatball slider food truck coming soon. [Food Truck Fiesta]
  • How your clothes affect what you eat [NPR]
  • Marvelous Market is now The Silver Spork. [Hill is Home]
  • Town House chef John Shields still considering D.C. restaurant. [Eater]