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 morning from Washington City Paper! It’s Friday! How about that Time magazine cover, eh?

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS: DCPS students have the worst science scores in the nation [WAMU] Mayor Vince Gray‘s grown children used the city’s sky suite at the Verizon Center for free. [WTOP] ‘Skins put on old clothes. [Post] Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham not so sure about booze compromise. [Times] Virginians don’t care about a Silver line to Dulles. [Post]

YOUR DAILY QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASUREMENT: On Thursday, City Paper‘s Needle ticked up 3 points. The bad news: Useless rankings of D.C. high schools. The good news: More former NFL players are worried about their noggins. Take a look here.

SIX CITY PAPER STORIES FROM THE LAST 24 HOURS TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

D.C. Employees Start Petition Drive for Backpay: LL reports that even though Mayor Vince Gray’s plan to pay District employees back for four furlough days in 2011 didn’t make it through the D.C. Council, there’s now apparently a petition circulating to get the workers their $$$ back. “The total cost of a furlough payback would be about $22 million. Scott’s petition also calls for back pay for workers whose regularly scheduled raises, known as STEP increases, were frozen. He says the petition has more than 100 signatures so far, but word is just spreading of its existence.”

A Gas Station Grows Near H Street, Despite Neighborhood’s Best Efforts: “The opposition comes from Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6A, which has testified, sent letters, and even pushed through a rezoning of the area to kibosh the new gas station. Amorphous neighbors even put together a website: SHELL-NO.COM. And yet, after four years of protest, permits were approved earlier this week for a new four-pump gas station (or technically, the renovation of an existing one) that will be surrounded by trees and shrubbery.”

AU Student Government President Comes Out as Transgender: Ashley Dejean talks to Sarah McBride, formerly known as Tom McBride, the American University student government president who ended her term after coming out as a transgender woman.

David Simon, Go-Go Fan: In case you needed another reason to love David Simon or go-go.

New School, New Start For Ballou High: LDP reports on the architectural vision for the new Ballou Senior High School which is expected to open in 2014: “The architects—Bowie Gridley, PGN, and Perkins + Will—presented the concept video they’d put together to win the competition. The crowed whooped and clapped for their favorite elements: An indoor pool, a gym with an elevated track, fields that will allow people coming up 4th Street to see the school’scherished marching band practice. The renderings showed a tall, iconic glass box at the main doors emblazoned with BALLOU KNIGHTS, a “main street” through administrative offices, a separate entrance for the vocational S.T.A.Y. programs, and an open cafeteria space with balconies around it flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows. Through it all was a desire to preserve the school pride that seems alive and well.”

Jazz Setlist, May 10-16: Smorgasbord: Jazz correspondent Michael J. West has the deets on the next week of jazz in the area.

TRANSPARENCY PHOTO OF THE DAY: This Week’s Page 3 Photo by Darrow Montgomery

LINKDUMP AFTER THE JUMP!

LOOSE LIPS DAILY POLITICS LINKS, by Alan Suderman (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • DC.. taxpayers paying for a lot of D.C. councilmembers and staff to go to Vegas [WAMU]
  • Sole source contract bike rack installation [WBJ]
  • Jim Graham still keen on booze tax [Times]
  • Where the early votes are in Ward 5 [Post]
  • Rich hoods down with pot dispensaries [DCist]
  • One of police chief’s inner circle suspended for failed drug test [Times]
  • Vince Gray has new plan for funding healthcare for immigrants, David Catania still doesn’t like it [Examiner]
  • Michael Brown to try again with furlough repayment plan [Examiner]

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LINKS, by Housing Complex blogger Lydia DePillis (tips? housingcomplex@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • The great graffiti disappearing act. [GGW]
  • Convention center gets a fashion incubator. [WAMU]
  • Everybody needs to talk to everybody about affordable housing! [GGW]
  • Non-standard street signs on the loose! [Post]
  • Home prices on the increase again. [RBI]
  • I talked about affordable housing with some smarties. [WAMU]
  • Another hiccup for tax appeals commission. [WBJ]
  • WABA is the only group that can properly install bike racks. [WBJ]
  • Wealthier neighborhoods okay with pot dispensaries. [DCist]
  • Today on the market: A steal in Anacostia.

ARTS LINKS, by Alex Baca (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Oneohtrix Point Never’s “I Only Have Eyes for You,” discussed. (See it live tonight.) [Pitchfork Tracks]
  • The American Institute of Architects is coming to D.C., and USGNN.com—that’s the USGlass News Network, rubes—has visited the Hirshhorn and its sculpture garden. [YouTube]
  • Whither Robert Weingarten at the National Museum of American History? Ask the public! [Style Blog]

FOOD LINKS will resume shortly.