Pepco Will Lobby ‘Til The Lights Come On: But it won’t actually turn the lights on itself. HuffPo D.C. reports: “The power company, fined $1 million by the Maryland Public Service Commission in December for its unreliable service, paid $3.8 million in lobbying expenses while paying negative $508 million in taxes, according to the report.” . +3

No Home For Old Bourbon: It’s really difficult to get a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle—-in any vintage—-here in D.C. Young & Hungry sent contributor Sam Hiersteiner to find some in D.C. and even though he found a liquor store that technically sells the stuff, he couldn’t buy any. “Technically, yes, we have some,” says Stewart Phillips, wine consultant and beer buyer at Schneider’s of Capitol Hill. “We got the 12-year and 20-year this morning, but it went on hold for customers in about 15 minutes.” -1

Deep Throat Renovation: Postie Bob Woodward’s old studio apartment—-the one he lived in while investigating the Watergate scandal—-at Webster House has been purchased and renovated by an enterprising couple. “When we found the condo it was in a very dilapidated state,” Katherine Teunissen told UrbanTurf. “The walls were a nauseating shade of green, the floors were brown parquet, and the kitchen had already been gutted.” Sounds gross. But now it’s all shiny and new.  +2

Remember the Ashburn: After a bit of prodding from us and others, the publicist of the famed Alamo Drafthouse theaters admits the new theater won’t actually be a D.C. location. Upside, that means that at some point in the future, there may be an iteration of the famously fussy cinema even closer than 30 miles away in Ashburn, Va.+3

Yesterday’s Needle rating: 26 Today’s score: +7 Today’s Needle rating: 33