Separate and Unequal: See a white person in D.C.? Chances are they’ve got significantly more money than a black neighbor. That sounds outrageously oversimplified, but new census statistics back it up; per capita income for whites in the District is three times what it is for black residents. The income gap is widening in D.C., though it’s narrowing in some suburban counties. No matter how much money you make or what race you are, that’s not good news for a city that’s already quite divided. -4

Rain, Rain, Go Away: Turned out yesterday’s storm didn’t bring snow to most of the District, as forecasters originally warned. But it did bring the largest single-day rainfall in history for the months between November and March (when the thunderstorms that usually bring torrential downpours are mostly done). Had all the rain been snow, the storm would need a nickname. -2

College, Now Meat-Free: Being a vegan at Georgetown University or American University isn’t so tough. Or so says a new study from PETA, which ranked the schools in the top ten nationwide for vegan-friendliness. Georgetown was praised specifically for meal plan options like “seitan gyros with soy yogurt.” Which reminds us why we ditched our undergraduate meal plan when we moved off campus junior year. +2

Parks R Us: The District may not have representation in Congress, but we do have quite a few parks. A new ranking from The Trust for Public Land puts D.C. (and nearby Arlington) in the top ten cities nationwide on parkland, park spending, and park acreage per resident. D.C. also ranked in the top five for recreation and senior centers and swimming pools per capita. No word on how we’re doing on bike lanes. +2

Yesterday’s Needle rating: 54 Today’s score: -2 Today’s Needle rating: 52