No matter how poorly your 4th of July went, it’s safe to say it was probably better than former “Mayor for Life” and current D.C. Councilmember Marion Barry’s (D—Ward 8). Saturday evening Barry was arrested by the Park Police and charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend, Donna Watts-Brighthaupt.
The stalking charges were dropped on Wednesday, but not before it was revealed that Watts-Brighthaupt received $20,000 in city contracts after her relationship with Barry began. City Paper’s Loose Lips columnist (and former Voice EIC!) Mike Debonis got the scoop of the week when he obtained recordings of some of Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt’s phone conversations, leading to the greatest City Paper cover line of our time: “You put me out in Denver ’cause I wouldn’t suck your dick!”
Meanwhile, the fallout from the Red Line crash continues. A couple more lawsuits have been filed against WMATA and commuters are getting cranky about the delays and crowding caused by the ongoing investigation. Metro also announced that it is planning a $177 million overhaul of the line to begin in 2010.
After months of fights about whether or not the recognition of same-sex marriages could be put up to a referendum vote and concerns about congressional interference, D.C. officially started to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states at 12:01 a.m. this Tuesday. D.C. Councilmember David Catania (I—At Large) is expected to introduce legislation that will allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the District soon.
After the jump: Metro’s new “one strike” texting policy, the Onion takes on the Nat’s kiss-cam, the summer youth jobs program is going broke, and more!
National Transportation Safety Board investigators are getting closer to pinpointing the cause of last week’s Metro crash. They discovered that WMATA had replaced a crucial component of the signaling component, the “Wee-Z bond” which maintains a safe distance between trains, and it malfunctioned. There have already been a couplelawsuits filed against Metro, including one by Johnnie Cochran’s law firm. WMATA General Manager John Catoe announced that the system will keep operating in manual mode until outside experts have a chance to examine the signaling system, which could as long as a year.
In some rare “good on you, WMATA” news, the embattled transit agency just re-launched its NextBus service this Wednesday. NextBus allows you to see when the next bus will be arriving for any route and can be used from the internet or a cell phone. The service was launched as a pilot program about two years ago for 32 routes, but it was only 80 percent accurate. The improved version covers all 335 bus routes.
Harriette Walters, the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue employee who masterminded the largest embezzlement in city’s history, was sentenced to 17 and half years in prison. It was revealed in 2007 that over the course of two decades Walters’ had defrauded the D.C. government to the tune of $48.1 million through issuing tax refunds to fake businesses.
Speaking of OTR, this year they mistakenly sent tax refunds to people who actually owe the District taxes. One resident who got the unmerited refund was D.C. Councilmember David Catania’s (I—At Large) parter, Brian.
After the jump: the Washington Post wipes out, medicinal marijuana makes progress, legal fireworks fun and more.
On Monday at about 5 p.m. two Red Line trains crashed into each other near the Fort Totten station, resulting in the deadliest crash in Metro’s 33 year history. Nine people died, including Jeanice McMillan, the operator of one of the trains, Ana Fernandez, a mother of six, and Retired Major General David Wherely, Jr. who led the D.C. National Guard and his wife Ann. Although investigations are ongoing, it’s looking like the accident was probably caused by a malfunction of the computerized control system.
D.C.’s Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi announced that his office is projecting a $340 million budget shortfall over the next two years due to the recession. In light of the dire news, Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) discretely ordered 40 government agencies—including the police department—to cut more than $35 million from their budgets. It probably doesn’t help that the city can’t find thousands of dollars it collected in fines from misdemeanor cases..
On Thursday, June 18th, a gunman opened fire outside the Columbia Heights Metro station, shooting and injuring two. This week it was revealed that the gunman was actually working as an intern for a D.C. Councilmember, Jim Graham (D—Ward 1). Graham himself took the young man, Devyn Black, to the police station to turn himself in.
After the jump: taxi fare increases, how Twitter can help you get fired from your D.C. government job and more! Read the rest of this entry »
Greater Greater Washington, a blog about smart growth in the D.C. Metropolitan area, tackled the GUTS bus question yesterday and concluded that everyone would be better off if we just relied on the D:
Why does Georgetown need a shuttle from campus to Dupont Circle at all? Right now, there’s a bus that goes right from the Reservoir Road side of campus to the same intersection of 21st and Q that GUTS uses: the D3 and D6 buses. The route is identical, except the D buses stop on Reservoir instead of looping around Lot A just inside campus …
We could improve transit for all if Georgetown applied the money it spends on the Georgetown-Dupont route to WMATA to add service to the D3 and D6, and subsidize students’ rides on them. If the D buses stop too often along the way, we could even create a D9 express bus … Besides, the GUTS schedule estimates a 15 minute trip from Georgetown University to Dupont Circle, while the WMATA schedule actually claims it’s even less than that.
It’s an interesting idea in theory, but there would be some major hurdles. Setting aside concerns about how mind-numbingly complex and the occasionally unreliable D.C.’s bus system is, would the University really be able (or willing) to negotiate with WMATA to create a suitable express route?
And, if we managed that, how would bus rides be paid for? Would the University provide SmarTrip cards to everyone and, if so, how would it be administered? If the stalled Student Metro Discount campaign is any indication, negotiating large-scale deals with WMATA isn’t quite as easy as it might sound. And if the University doesn’t subsidize the trips, would riders have to pay out of pocket?
If the University eliminated GUTS buses but worked with WMATA to augment the D line, would that do anything to pacify the neighbors? Also, GGW’s suggestion doesn’t take into account any GUTS lines besides Dupont. Even if we could work something out for that route, what about the others?
But what say you—would expanded D line coverage be an acceptable GUTS substitute?
Strange things are afoot with everyone’s favorite transportation system!
First off, in the face of budget problems, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority is considering allowing retail kiosks in Metro stations. While this would boost revenue for WMATA, it would also undermine the vaunted “no food, no drink” policy that’s made the Metro the one rat-free part of D.C. In fairness, though, the ban would stay in place, and vendors would be peddling food and beverages packaged in a way that would discourage immediate consumption (in the words of one Metro official, “The idea is not a sizzling kabob”). The WMATA board will decide later this month whether to solicit proposals for kiosks.
Secondly, in October, most cell phone users will be able to get service in the 20 busiest Metro stations. WMATA hashed out a deal with $40 million dollar deal with Sprint Nextel, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. By 2010 all 47 stations will be covered, and by 2012 you’ll be able to get a signal in the tunnels.
Finally, not a change, but while we’re on the subject of Metro, WMATA just released a survey detailing the differences between Metrorail and Metrobus riderships. The basic conclusion is that Metrorail serves a more affluent, less diverse population. Eighty percent of Metrorail riders have college degrees, compared to 59 percent of Metrobus riders. The median income for Metrorail passengers is $102,110, while for Metrobus passengers it’s $69,620. Minorities account for only a quarter of Metrorail ridership, but on Metrobus, more than half the patrons are minorities.
Photo from Flickr user fenterbme, used under a Creative Commons license.
Lately, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E meeting have all had their share of fireworks, and last night’s meeting was no exception. They didn’t get to verbally stone any representatives from WASA, but they did unleash fury like Hell hath none on the owner of Philly Pizza. The Commissioners also applauded the arrival of The North Face store, while poo-pooing their big red signs, and prepared Georgetown for the 11-month loss of its Safeway.
Philly P’s: The highlight of tonight’s ANC meeting was the Commissioners’ unanimous chastisement of Philadelphia Pizza’s new 1211 Potomac location. The night started out poorly with Commissioners interrogating the engineer of the new ventilation system for Philly P’s and only got worse as they attacked Philly P’s ratio of sit down patrons to unruly students. (According the the Commissioners, Philly P’s needed a permit if over 50% of their customers used take out after ordering their food.)
Matt, the owner of Philly P’s, told the Commissioners that only 5% or less of his customers left the store before finishing their food (OK, Matt). An intense question-and-answer session followed in which the commissioners essentially accused Matt of dishonesty. It was unclear, however, if the owner of Philly P’s completely understood what the Commissioners were asking
ANC Chairman Ron Lewis ultimately issued a veiled threat against Philly P’s, bothered by their late hours, the high number of take out customers, and the odor that bothers the neighbors.
“If you are truly interested in being a good neighbor, you will fix these things,” Lewis said. “If not, we will have a long and complicated relationship.”
Shiver. The ANC passed a resolution condemning Philly P’s.
The North Face: As we noted last week, Georgetown is getting its own North Face store.
The commissioners seemed pleased the store was coming to Georgetown. However, ANC Commissioners were not enthusiastic about the bright red sign that usually comes with these stores. Commissioners Starrels and Skelesy were especially critical of the “excessively” red nature of the sign.
But don’t let a headline fool you. The sign was the only contested aspect of the new store. According to the North Face rep, the store is set to open in three months—provided the Old Georgetown Board gives it the go-ahead this Thursday. Godspeed, TNF.
Center for American Progress blogger Matt Yglesias noticed today that WMATA is refusing to provide information for Google Map’s new Transit feature. The free service allows users to plan trips using public transit schedules and actually see their routes, too.
But apparently, WMATA thinks they have a superior trip planner on their own site–which is not quite true. Search results on WMATA’s site are texty and confusing, and lacky the sexy mapping features of Google Transit. Plus, it’s hard for me to see how restricting information about Metro could benefit WMATA is any way.
But don’t despair just yet–GreatergreaterWashington has a petition you can sign here. Maybe the powers that be at WMATA will come to their senses.
At the conclusion of finals, some students’ travails will continue as they schlep their way to Dulles International Airport. If this describes what’s ahead for you, try take heart in the fact that your progeny will have it easier. Via The Loudoun Extra,The Washington Postreported that the Metro Silver Line, which will connect Dulles to D.C., is on its way:
“Federal regulators have approved a long-awaited extension of Metrorail to Tysons Corner and Dulles International Airport, virtually assuring construction of a $5.2 billion project that regional leaders say is crucial to ease congestion and spur economic growth in Northern Virginia.”
Of course, the project won’t see completion for quite some time. In a congratulatory editorial, The Washington Post hopes to see it happen by 2013, which is something like ten years from now in bureaucrat-speak.
What you can enjoy right now is D.C.-area commentators having a ‘here’s-some-perspective-for-you’ gala. In its editorial, Post tells its readers that one of the Silver Line’s greatest proponents, Gov. Tim Kaine, was only four years old when the fight for a train line to Dulles began. DCist recalls that this was before man landed on the moon. And as for us, this paper wasn’t even born yet.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will discuss a proposal on Thursday night that would allow 187 DC CVS pharmacies to sell SmarTrip cards. The cards would run $10 each ($5 for the card itself, and $5 of Metro cash so you can ride right away without putting any more money on). WMATA’s General Counsel recommends approving the proposal, which releases CVS from liability for any problems, so it looks like it’ll pass.
Considering the ridiculous lines to buy a Metro card at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop after last night’s basketball game, plenty of Georgetown students haven’t managed to get their hands on a SmarTrip card yet. With three CVS locations within walking distance of campus, there will be even less of a reason not to buy.
Photo from Flickr user NCinDC used under a Creative Commons license
Now that Metro has decided to perform random bag checks, you need to know a way to get out of one to protect your civil liberties. Fortunately, there’s an easy to avoid being checked and protect your civil liberties: just saying no:
If you choose to walk through a random search area and are stopped, you may refuse to be searched. If police ask to search your belongings, remain calm and courteous. And don’t ever — under any circumstances — talk back or raise your voice to the police officer. You have nothing to gain — and everything to lose — by escalating the hostility level of the encounter.
Calmly and clearly say “Officer, I do not consent to any searches. I’m going to exit the station.” Then immediately exit the station — and do not return through the same entrance.
You don’t have to give the police your name or ID, either, and you can try to re-enter the Metro station through a difference entrance. It’s not clear if trying to re-enter will be considered suspicious behavior (and pretense for a search), but it’s worth a shot.
Vox Populi is the staff blog of the Georgetown Voice, a weekly newsmagazine at Georgetown University. Opinions expressed in posts are those of their author alone unless otherwise stated.
Could GUTS be a thing of the past?
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