Breakfast links: Patriotic paths
New trail remembers War of 1812
To honor the War of 1812 bicentennial, the National Park Service has designated 560 miles of trails and waterways in Maryland, DC and Virginia as the Star-Spangled Banner Trail. (Post)
Crashing at Boundary Stone
Residents of Woodridge deploy flash mob tactics in an attempt to interest stores in setting up shop in their retail-poor neighborhood. (UrbanTurf)
Capital Area Food Bank moves, expands
Capital Area Food Bank nearly doubles as it moves to a new $37 million facility near Fort Totten, largely funded by DC’s Office of Housing and Community Development. (WAMU)
Farms stay in Montgomery County
Despite containing so much urban and suburban development, Montgomery County still has about 77,000 acres of farmland. Down 35% since 1982, more than 93% of the county’s farmland is protected. (WBJ)
Travel early, get paid?
Stanford’s campus has encouraged commuters to push their travel earlier to ease congestion. With a smartphone app and an RFID tag, participating drivers can receive money to travel at off-peak times. (Ars Technica, charlie) (Tip: charlie)
Virginia posts budget surplus
Virginia has posted a $130 million budget surplus for the fiscal year which ended last month. Virginia has now had a surplus in each of the past three years. (Post)
And…
The Discovery Channel brings its inflatable shark back to Silver Spring. (DCist)… Maryland has no natural lakes. (Post)… Meridian Hill Park is undergoing renovation. (Borderstan)… BeyondDC maps Metrobus’ articulated bus routes.