Breakfast links: Under pressure

by Jamie Scott • September 27, 2011 8:20 am

Photo by Noel Feans on Flickr.

Pressure mounts on DC middle schools: Elementary enrollment is up but DC middle schools are either overcrowded or underperforming. A lack of quality middle school options could hurt long-term education reform in DC. (Post)

Bowser has her own ethics challenge: Ward 4 councilmember Muriel Bowser is under pressure to create an ethics bill by the end of the year. The council's ethics problems and 9 proposed bills aren't making it easy. (Huffington Post)

Tenants sue over living conditions: A group of tenants in Langley Park are suing the property management for "wretched" living conditions. A judge ruled that Prince Georges County must investigate the property before the tenants pay rent. (NBC Washington)

Earthquake caused more damage than thought: NPS is closing the Washington Monument indefinitely to inspect damage caused by last month's earthquake. A new video shows tourists evacuating when the quake hit. (Post)

No fault in Jefferson Memorial arrests: A Park Police investigation found officers followed procedures when they arrested dancing protesters at the Jefferson Memorial. The protesters allege police used excessive force in the arrests. (WTOP)

Don't call it a bribe: Ward 1 councilmember Jim Graham says a taxi lobbyist didn't try to bribe him when he offered Graham cash. Graham oversaw the taxicab commission at the time but says the money was not related to that. (City Paper)

Everyone doesn't love a party: Some Mount Pleasant neighbors are unhappy with Fiesta DC, the annual Latino cultural festival. One ANC commissioner says the organizers didn't communicate or organize well and weren't prepared to clean up afterward. (DCist)

And...: Crystal City is getting a new gateway (ARLnow) ... Howard University won't kick students out for unpaid bills (City Paper) ... Metro is postponing track work to accommodate the MLK Memorial dedication (WMATA).

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Jamie Scott is a resident of Ward 3 in DC and a regular Metrobus commuter. He believes in good government, livable communities and quality public transit. Jamie holds a B.A. in Government from Georgetown University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at Georgetown.

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small edit suggestion: muriel browser doesn't have an "ethics challenge". She may be under a lot of pressure to come up with a bill, but that headline might mislead readers a bit.

Am I correct in saying the Monument and National Cathederal are the only two large masonary structures in the DC area? I thought the Old Post Office was a steel frame. Not sure about the Washington (Mason) momument in Alexandria. The building museum seems as solid as a brick.

by charlie on Sep 27, 2011 9:28 am • link • report

Graham's reasoning is truly astonishing. When someone he knows wants to influence public policy attempts to give $2600 to an elected official, it's . . . what exactly? And he has the gall to say,

"It never entered my mind that I would do or had done anything on behalf of the person who provided the funds," Graham writes."

Good grief.

So, the burning question is . . . if it wasn't a bribe, what was it? And why not take it, if it wasn't a bribe?

by dcd on Sep 27, 2011 10:20 am • link • report

@charlie, the Monument and Cathedral are by far the largest masonry structures in DC. OPO and the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception are both steel frame. The GW Masonic Memorial is made of masonry (granite specifically), which makes sense when you think of it. The roof is steel reinforced concrete, though.

I'm fairly certain that the Building Museum is brick, with no structural steel, but can't verify that offhand. The Smithsonian Castle is another fairly large stone (Senaca Creek sandstone) building.

by Tim Krepp on Sep 27, 2011 11:39 am • link • report

Jamie,

This is a VERY broad comment--and I do not know whom to direct it to--but would someone please do an article to explain why we are getting so many new UGLY UGLY buildings??? I am referring specifically to the Market at O Street project. The addition looks nothing like the old market. Shouldn't the idea have been to somehow incorporate elements which compliment the original structure? The new building as designed does not do this. There are other example, but the architecture or today looks a lot like the glass and metal crap from the late 50's early 60's. By the late 70's it was very OUT of fashion. Let's not do that again? thx

by John on Sep 27, 2011 2:45 pm • link • report