Breakfast links: Drive safe
Be kind to your driver
Assaults on Metrobus drivers went up almost 37% last year, according to a federal report. Metro is trying to address the problem with more driver training, targeted policing, and security cameras on buses. (Post)
Checking it twice
Yesterday we mentioned a list of Purple Line cuts. Now the complete list of items is out, and calls for fewer escalators
elevators and less public art. The governor’s office says these should cut $210 million in project costs. (Post)
Fixer upper
The DC Jail is a mess, according to the Washington Lawyers Committee. The group says the District should close, replace, and fire the contractor who runs it. The contractor charges more than the national average to run the facility. (City Paper)
Clean the Bay
A plan to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay has been upheld in court. A farming industry group joined with Midwestern states to oppose the plan, which limits chemicals and sediment entering the bay watershed. (Post)
Case dismissed
The town of Chevy Chase will not have to divulge details of its anti-Purple Line lobbying campaign. Purple Line advocates claimed the town violated the Public Information Act, but a judge has dismissed their lawsuit. (Bethesda Beat)
Parks and rec
Residents in the region want more and more from their local playgrounds. These bells and whistles have made new parks more expensive. Yet they are more inclusive and popular for people of all ages. (Post)
Smarter growth in MoCo
Meet the Coalition for Smarter Growth’s new Montgomery County Advocacy Manager, Pete Tomao. He takes over for GGW contributor Kelly Blynn, and will focus on making sure the Purple Line gets built, among other projects. (Montgomery Community Media)
And…
New maps of inequality illustrate the stark divide between rich and poor in the DC region and around the US. (Post) … If you’re going to Ocean City, NJ this summer, check out Jersey’s only true street cycle track. (Philly.Com) … The term “DMV” was publicized to bring together city dwellers and suburbanites. (Washingtonian)