Photo by neonbubble on Flickr.

Scandal of the week: Tampa trip

Mayor Gray and 2 councilmembers quietly flew to Tampa to view the Buccaneers’ training facility, likely a model for something similar for DC. All 3 say the public did not pay for the trip. (City Paper)  

Catania making $240K from electric contractor

David Catania is now earning twice as much as an electrical contractor executive than he gets from taxpayers. He did recuse himself from votes on electrical licensing. He defends the practice of making outside income, saying it expands the pool of people who can run for office. (Post)  

Is Metro friendly for kids?

Metro has many kid-friendly features, including elevators and free rides for small children. But some policies are tough for school groups, and many riders don’t defer to kids for elevator space. (Post)  

Beware confusing SmarTrip balance readouts

SmarTrip changes are confusing some commuters because when you load your SmartBenefits, the faregate only show the balance on 1 of the 3 “purses.” You can see all 3 balances online. (Post)  

Contractor, MWAA dispute Silver Line delays

MWAA accuses the construction consortium building phase 1 of the Silver Line of hiding construction delays so it can win the contract for phase 2. (Examiner)  

Megabus in, tour buses out

Megabus will start using the Union Station bus garage, displacing tour buses which will have to travel to more distant satellite lots and pay more for parking. Or will they just idle in public space? (City Paper)  

Residents disagree on Adams Morgan’s future

Should Adams Morgan be a neighborhood retail district or a regional nightlife destination?  This fundamental disagreement drives many of the neighborhood’s acrimonious debates. (City Paper)  

DC urges WMATA to hire more residents

Mayor Gray is dissatisfied that only 14% of WMATA employees are DC residents.  DOES, the District’s employment agency, is now connecting WMATA with pre-screened job candidates. (Washington Times)  

Light rail to Charles Co?

Officials in PG and Charles counties are pushing for a light rail line from the Branch Avenue Metro to Charles County.  However, competing with the Purple Line and Baltimore’s Red Line for state money will be difficult. (Examiner)  

And…

The 30-year-old New Urbanism showpiece, Seaside, Florida, shapes many communities today. (The Straight Line) … Cars are now less likely to get booted in DC. (WTOP) … New York debates implementing residential parking permits, despite objections from the city DOT. (Streetsblog) … The feds try to avoid gridlock from sending people home in a snowstorm. (Post)