Chuck Brown Goes Home: Now that‘s how you throw a funeral, D.C. Thousands of fans packed the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to celebrate the life of Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, with music, stories, prayer, and laughs. There were some politicians there making political speeches—in which the city was promised not just a Chuck Brown Park, but also a go-go hall of fame—but the real point was to honor the District’s musical legend one more time. Chuck baby don’t give a what? That ain’t true. +5

Stop The Bus, The Feds Want To Get Off: Discount bus lines up and down the East Coast offer something of a Faustian bargain to riders. Sure, they’ll get you from D.C. to New York for, like, $2.50, but on the other hand, the trip might end with a blown tire, or worse, somewhere on the side of I-95. Authorities busted a total of 26 of what they say were unsafe operators today for switching names and paint jobs in order to keep dangerous buses on the road. Officials say it’s just the beginning of a new campaign against unsafe buses. +1

United In D.C.: First-place D.C. United may soon have a new owner—and possibly a new home. Indonesian media and sports magnate Erick Thohir is reportedly close to investing in the club, which could help get a deal together for a stadium on Buzzard Point, near Nationals Park. No word on whether a new stadium would include pieces that can fall haphazardly at random moments, in order to duplicate the ambiance of late-period RFK Stadium. +2

The Birds, The Bees, And The Deer: Rock Creek Park is inhabited by about 375 deer. Which, it turns out, is about four times as many as the park can actually sustain. So the National Park Service has a plan—give them contraceptives. Some deer will also be shot, which doesn’t seem quite as pleasant. -1

Yesterday’s Needle rating: 49 Today’s score: +7 Today’s Needle rating: 56