As much local politics as humanly possible. Send your tips, releases, stories, events, etc. to lips@washingtoncitypaper.com.
Good rainy morning, LLDers. WaPo city-hall beatsters David Nakamura and Nikita Stewart are off Adrian and Vince (for the most part) until January to cover inauguration prep, city editor Marcia Davis tells LL. Fellow Metro deskers, including Hamil Harris will be filling in. Check Stewart’s piece today, with Michael E. Ruane, on parade bleachers!
IN LL WEEKLY—-Education Issue! Have any doubt that Michelle Rhee is at the center of the educational world? Then what’s up with this SecEd blather? ALSO: More on the mystery election of Dorothy Douglas and why OCTO spent $23K on a mountain retreat—-er, summit.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—-“Surprise: No DCPS Waitlists for Obamas“; “AP: Obamas Talking to DCPS“
RELIABLE SOURCE: Tony Williams, crime fighter. “I said to myself, ‘Do I just stand here? No, this can’t happen.’…And I just started running.” Said thief: “You used to be the mayor.”
Rhee-WTU tenure fight gets the full NY Times treatment. Writes Sam Dillon, “The union is mobilizing to protect members, and the nation’s capital is bracing for what could be a wrenching labor struggle.” What could be? Already is! Early reaction here.
All you folks jawing about how there’s no decent restaurants in Mount Pleasant? You might get one soon: Businesses catering to Latinos are getting gentrified out of Mount Pleasant, Paul Schwartzman writes in WaPo. LL can feel the “really cool, vibey restaurant/bar” already!
Paul Strauss “fights demands to resign,” Politico reports. KILLER DETAIL FROM DWI ARRAIGNMENT: “Wearing a white French-cuff shirt, paired with a muted blue suit and his grandfather’s gold watch, Strauss looked very much like a senator until he stood up to reveal the lining hanging out of the back of his jacket. He waited, a man with no staff to inform him of this clothing gaffe.”
Petworth gets all riled over police response to shootings, WUSA-TV reports. PLUS: Your possibly only chance to see Cherita Whiting and WCP’s Ted Scheinman in the same 90 seconds of video!
IN DISTRICT NOTEBOOK—-Scene from Monday’s budget hearing/vote. ALSO: Black McCain voter sets up inaugural logistics Web site.
MALIA AND SASHA WATCH—-American Spectator finds DCPS talk “ludicrous”…”sacrificing the immediate educational good and opportunity of children for the sake of some ill-defined greater political good defines the mindset of the National Education Association.” Margaret Carlson breaks down the CW from Bloomberg.com. NY Post looks at D.C.’s pleas to Obamas, touched off by USA Today piece by SBOE members Robert Bobb and Mary Lord. Blogger David Gaines has a couple of thoughts, as well.
ALSO—-Joel Klein drops Rhee’s name as SecEd pick in Scholastic Administrator mag. Rhee speaks at Duke University next Monday.
In inherently faulty state-to-state-to-District analysis, D.C. has lousy record on premature births, Examiner reports.
Are “PistolCams” in trouble? asks WaTimes.
Metro CFO to Examiner on Belgian loan call: “It’s inconceivable to figure out the damage that would probably produce….It’s almost a perfect storm that we had not anticipated.”
D.C. schools will be closed Jan. 20.
“Why Did ‘D.C. Teacher Chic’ Check Out?” asks Bill Turque.
More from WaPo on EHN and the inauguration. “I predict people won’t be able to get on the Mall even if they have tickets. It’s an outdoor gathering the likes of which this city hasn’t seen.”
WaPo’s Keith Alexander covers the Good Guys arson trial. But you don;t really want to read that story. You want to read The Sexist’s blowout coverage instead.
NC8 has more on Eastern Market fire investigators’ demotions. Also WRC-TV on FEMS improvements announced by Fenty.
More from NC8 on Jim Graham’s parking-meter rate hike.
IN WAPO BRIEFS—-Children’s Hospital plug-pull hearing delayed; guilty plea in Oct. 3 gay attack in Georgetown
City shuts down another Bladensburg Road NE used car outfit.
Boston blogger Shannon Moriarty laments what budget cuts mean for homelessness. Library advocates ain’t so happy, either.
D.C. COUNCIL TODAY—-10 a.m.: Board of Elections and Ethics Investigation Special Committee hearing on election process and procedures, JAWB 412; Committee on Human Services hearing on findings of an internal investigation into the February 2008 death of a D.C. resident, JAWB 500.
ADRIAN FENTY TODAY—-6:45 a.m.: guest, Connecting with the Mayor with Barbara Harrison, WRC-TV; 7:10 a.m.: guest, Fenty on Fox, WTTG-TV; 9:15 a.m.: remarks, announcement of Applications for Democracy contest winners, One Judiciary Square lobby, 441 4th St. NW; 5:10 p.m.: guest, Washington Post Live, The Washington Post.