Photo by Laughing Squid on Flickr.

Taxi Commisioner let go

Taxicab Commission head Leon Swain was fired by Mayor Gray yesterday, leaving headless an agency that seems to be in turmoil even with a leader. Swain was appointed by Adrian Fenty, and personally berated a driver who wouldn’t take David to Southwest. (DCist)  

Fired teachers maybe fired for good reason?

Though an arbitrator uncovered damning allegations of teacher misconduct in the investigation of firing of 75 DCPS teachers, he still decided the firings were improper since allegations were never presented to those fired. (Examiner)  

GOP doesn’t get location efficiency

The House GOP thinks all federal offices should be located in cheap, far-flung locations so the government can save money on leases or sell off valuable, central-located land.  Nothing like cutting the deficit by forcing people to drive to work on $4/gallon gas.  (City Paper)  

Developer gives away cars to home buyers

A Chicagoland developer has taken a page from the streetcar suburb developer playbook by offering to subsidize potential homebuyers’ transportation. The problem: he’s offering to buy them all cars. (Grist)  

Good development on 14th Street

PN Hoffman is redeveloping a 5-story building on 14th Street into condos, which will have no parking on-site.  The developer may offer buyers free CaBi and ZipCar memberships since the building sits next to the 14th & R CaBi station, and across the street from a ZipCar lot. (UrbanTurf DC)  

Fairfax leaders take mode challenge

FABB has invited leaders to take a bike/car/bus challenge on Bike to Work day, testing which mode is faster and cheaper to travel between South Lake High School and Reston Town Center. (WABA)  

Students to test SmartTrip IDs

Some DC students will test new combined SmarTrip-Student ID cards.  The cards will not set an electronic curfew on the use of subsidized Metro fares, as the WMATA Board considered earlier this year. (Examiner)  

Struck pedestrian dies

A woman who was struck by a driver near Rosslyn last week passed away yesterday as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. The driver was charged with reckless driving and may now face more severe charges. (ARLnow)