Like locusts swarming from above, a new (pink) cupcake truck and New York-based Crumbs Bake Shop are showering the District with more overpriced, nauseatingly cute cupcakes. Does this mean we have to suffer through another dreadful Washington Post war? Matt, commenting on Prince of Petworth, says: “I see sub-prime cupcake crisis coming! Cupcake bailout?”

Undoubtedly the result of the massive cupcake crisis, WTOP reports that federal and retail positions are being inundated with an unprecedented number of job applications—some federal positions that previously attracted 25 applicants are now getting up to 400. Accompanying the article is a photo of a handsome, sneering man who is clearly thinking: “You won't even get a job at a cupcake place! Have fun decorating your cardboard box, intern.”

The city is distributing more than 122,000 plastic reusable bags to low-income residents to prepare them for the 5-cent bag fee that goes into effect Jan. 1. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty says it’s for the “Skip the Bag, Save the River” campaign, but really it’s due to the massive cupcake shortage! Start stockpiling those crumbs!

Americans are rediscovering frugality and spending money only on life’s staples: specifically, canned beans and Sarah Palin's memoir, which was officially released yesterday. Clearly, the cupcake-crazed are already going rogue.

And finally, the New York Daily News offers evidence that Clint Eastwood is not very impressed by the rogue cupcake crisis: He lamented to GQ that “it seems like our country is in kind of a morbid mood because of the recession or whatever…we have a bunch of teenage twits.”

Photo by Bev, Creative Commons Attribution License

The infamous Chevron gas station near the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Malcolm X Avenue SE, which has inspired enough hate-laced prose to fill the Library of Congress, has undergone a makeover. Is it just a fresh coat of paint, or has the station cleaned up its act? According to commentators on the blog Southeast Socialite, problems in the past have included attendants not updating the price of gas, pumps routinely giving free showers to customers, and broken credit card machines. The community recently mobilized through old-fashioned means—writing letters—and more modern methods, such as hounding the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) through Twitter.

As a result, DCRA began an investigation and Chevron de-branded the station—ultimately removing all of its signage  Oct. 26. The station now belongs to Crown Central, which painted the gas pumps white and added new lighting. But the Advoc8te, from the blog Congress Heights on the Rise, is doubtful that changing the brand is going to make much of a difference.

“The problems with safety, customer service, and operations are directly related to the poor management…some business owners have taken advantage of the situation [in Ward 8] and become complacent, if not downright negligent,” she said in an email to City Desk. Although she has yet to speak to anyone who has visited the gas station, she says, the gas station is "going to have to do what every other responsible business is going to have to do. Earn our business.”

Photo by Martin Deutsch, Creative Commons Attribution License

The Issue: In an overhaul of green spaces in the District,  residents in Park View and the surrounding area may be left without a park to view. The Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH), a rolling 272-acre campus, has not been open to the public since 1968—but the community still considers it the neighborhood’s primary green space, and there have been several proposals over the years to open the land to general use. But now the AFRH is planning to develop the northwest southeast part of the site to increase cash flow and the CapitalSpace Draft Plan, a collaboration of D.C. and federal agencies, has no plans to take the space into consideration. Will residents be left with concrete? Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Grass Not Greener on the Other Side of Park View" »

The Issue: Are dropped calls taking priority over community concerns in a historic Southeast neighborhood? Some neighbors are worried about the radiation effects of six 10-foot T-Mobile antennas installed in early October on the roof of the Polk Court Apartments at 525 G St SE. To install the towers, T-Mobile had to get permission from both the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and the Historic Preservation Office (HPO). But some feel left out of the process and say that formal HPO approval was inadvertently bypassed. In order to belatedly meet the historic district requirements, T-Mobile recently moved the towers six feet from the roofline. But residents argue that this doesn’t change the fact the towers are still chilling on their roof.

Not Good: Besides being peeved about the eyesore factor, locals gave an impassioned presentation at a Ward 6B Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) meeting in October about the potential health concerns of radio  waves. ANC Commissioner David Garrison told City Desk, “For this particular kind of facility, a specific neighborhood notification process does not exist. It certainly would be helpful if it did.” In his time as ANC commissioner, he says, he has never heard of cellular towers being placed on a residential building. Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Can You Hear Me Now? Unfortunately, Say Unhappy Capitol Hill Residents" »

Have you thanked a veteran today? What are you waiting for? Technology is only getting faster! That’s right, soon you will be able to thank a veteran by using a technology chip in your mind! (No, there’s no actual link to that…it's just a theory.)

Can’t remember if the Georgetown Circulator exists? Download the new iPhone app! And while you’re at it, you may soon be able to pay for parking at meters with your cell phone! Isn’t technology great? Oh wait, WUSA has just reported that there is a new virus that downloads child porn onto your computer. Does it call Chris Hansen too?

Do you Twitter? Do you use LinkedIn? This was actually a secret intern test to remember not to trust you (because you are obviously over 30, we don't touch that stuff). Anyway, the two companies announced a new partnership yesterday.

Stop the presses (are there any left to stop?)—commenters on Prince of Petworth universally agree that the new mural on Sherman Avenue and Barry Place NW is awesome. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Technology Has Exceeded Our Humanity” Edition" »

Bid adieu to your friendly neighborhood sweeper/undercover spy—it’s winter now, according to the Department of Public Works (DPW). Linda Grant, a DPW spokesperson, confirms that street sweeping ends today, and won’t resume again until the spring. She says, “It’s a little colder this year, and the machine’s spray can ice over the streets and cause accidents….There are also lots of leaves on the ground, so we want to focus on leaf collection.” So stop looking over your shoulder for Sweepercams! Park where you want to park! And, seriously, go frolic in some pretty orange leaves before DPW carts them away!

Photo by Wayan Vota, Creative Commons Attribution License

The Issue: Some residents aren’t charmed by the odor of female ginkgo trees in Trinidad—and have already had some removed by the city. But according to D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) policy, after a tree is cut down, someone must call again for another one to be replanted  the city will plant another in its place, but the process can take up to seven months. With lax communication, some neighborhoods, like this one, are left with stumps for years. Should the ginkgoes be left alone?

“I Speak for the Trees, for the Trees Have No Tongues”: Hilloholic, writing on the blog Frozen Tropics, says, “Ginkgoes are awesome! Don’t cut them down. I wouldn’t call their smell a huge problem.” There is also a pesticide spray available that halts the production of the smelly fruit—a tactic the Urban Forestry Administration has utilized in the past. Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Smelly Trees or Tree Stumps in Trinidad?" »

The Issue: Pouya Yousefi has been trying to secure a liquor license for Level Lounge at 315 H St. NW since May. He is proposing a Middle Eastern inspired lounge that accommodates 300 and includes everything from late-night dancing to a hookah bar. But the community is grappling with how the lounge will fit into this largely residential neighborhood, and is locking horns over questions of capacity and noise. Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C made a motion opposing the license this past summer—but has recently come up with a novel way to address neighbors' concerns: They’ve hired a sound expert to assess the building and make recommendations before the ANC drafts an agreement. Is this a helpful gesture from the local ANC—or an effort to stomp on a business owner’s toes? Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Neighbors Hush Proposed Lounge on H Street, NW" »

Happy NaBloPoMo! Or for the less tech-savvy: National Blog Posting Month. Apparently, there are bloggers who have vowed to post every day for the month of November! Don’t worry, slacker-bloggers with other responsibilities—City Desk has plenty of posts to go around. That’s what interns are for.

The New York Times is asking readers to look back at the year since President Barack Obama’s election and sum up their mood. As of Tuesday night, Democrats are “hopeful,” “proud,” and “thankful.” Republicans are “suspicious,” “depressed,” and… “unsurprising.” Please assign grammar lessons to those unsurprising Republicans. Also, Republicans can add some new words today after last night's election returns. Bob McDonnell!

At 12:01 a.m., the National Park Service debuted its new online lottery for the National Christmas Tree ceremony tickets. There are some 10,000 tickets available, and the lottery closes Friday. On the plus side: No more fending off tourists and huddling in the cold for hours to see a tree lit. On the downside: Did anyone actually think this through? Thousands upon thousands logging into one government-run Web page? I’d start bundling up the kiddies.   Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Thrilled, Hopeful, and Unsurprising” Edition" »

The Issue: The owner of the Takoma Theatre is planning a five-story apartment building for the historic spot. The theater has occupied the corner of Fourth and Butternut Streets NW since 1923; Milton McGinty bought the building in 1983. But the low-density neighborhood of Takoma has not been kind to a privately owned arts building that puts on plays, and McGinty wants to head to a greener pasture—real estate. In 2007, he petitioned to turn the theater into an office building, catalyzing the formation of Takoma Theatre Conservancy, a nonprofit that wants to purchase the property; he was ultimately denied by the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). But now McGinty proposes razing the theater and replacing it with an apartment building—with a tiny theater on the ground floor. With the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) and the Conservancy up in arms, will HPRB still pull an Atropos? Read More "Neighborhood Watch: In Takoma, Will the Last Theater of Ward 4 Survive?" »

The Issue: Bloomingdale Eckington residents can now find pizza instead of hot wings at the intersection of North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue NE—but they still have to order through bulletproof glass. New York Pizza recently decided to retain the glass after taking over the building from Kentucky Fried Chicken. But some residents are tired of seeing the bulletproof barriers in their neighborhood, and are avoiding restaurants that have it—including the pizza joint. Others argue that the real problem is the crime that leads restaurants to put up the glass in the first place, and that refusing to give business to such places only hurts the community. So who wants free delivery? Read More "Neighborhood Watch: In Eckington, Do You Want Fries—and Bulletproof Glass—With That?" »

"Someone is missing." Anyone else think the latest Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle, Shutter Island, has the worst tagline ever?

A senior at George Washington University was reported missing last weekend—prompting a Facebook group, a front-page GW Hatchet article, and a citywide police search. The girl who reported his absence said: “I could possibly see him [skipping their event] and sleeping in—but I couldn’t see him not texting me and apologizing.” The student turned up safe and sound Monday morning, having gone with another girl to Virginia. Draw your own conclusions.

On Monday, the National Capital Planning Commission approved a new security plan for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial - so construction can now begin. According to the Associated Press, the memorial—which consists of an island and two elm trees—will have fewer metal posts than initially proposed. Expect to see the memorial (missing security posts) in 2011.

Help the Metropolitan Police find a missing 12-year-old. She was last seen at the Minnesota Avenue Metro Station on Friday.

Central Intelligence Agency funds missing? Say, maybe for the last eight years? Try checking the pockets of the Afghan president’s brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai. Or just ask the opium dealers. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Someone is Missing” Edition" »

The Issue: What should be done with the spooky, underground tunnels of Dupont Circle? The dismantled streetcar station has been empty since 1962—save for a failed 6-month stint as a food court in 1995—but now the Arts Coalition for Dupont Underground (ACDU) proposes to use the space to exhibit art. Specifically, the coalition plans to renovate the western side of the circle, which can accommodate up to 3,000 people, and work with local groups to fill the high-ceilinged caverns with rotating exhibitions. But the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is sitting on the space—before releasing a request for proposals on the new lease, the office announced recently it wants to schedule community forums. So far, no forums. With proposals in the past ranging from a bicycle garage to a gay club, should DMPED be waiting for something better to come along?

Read More "City Sits on Empty Tunnels in Dupont—Arts Coalition Says Move" »

WTOP went digging through Metrobus records and concluded yesterday that D.C. should ride at its own risk. In the last five years, there were over 400 violations for running red lights, and one driver was even disciplined for watching television while driving (are you feeling lucky?). Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham told the station those riders that notice problems should “Just Google Jim Graham” and email him. Just in case I catch my bus driver watching "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia" on the way home, I ran a Google-Graham-drill. Unfortunately, the first item that came up was Graham’s decision to give up oversight over the D.C. taxi industry. Old news, but it’s worth checking out again just to note his scarlet bowtie and fluorescent orange grandma glasses. I may be walking home, but that is one dapper man.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: The “Google Jim Graham” Edition" »

The Issue: Will a lone commuter bring down the Penn Quarter Farmers' Market? The market has called the north end of Eighth Street NW, between D and E Streets, home for the last seven years, operating a few hours every Thursday. Ken Crerar wants that to change. According to the DC Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA), Crerar recently contacted the Department of Transportation to suggest the market’s permit be revoked. Crerar, who is president of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, says the route he is forced to take around the market adds 15 minutes to his commute. Is he speaking for the silent majority of disgruntled drivers—or should the market stay put?

Time Over Produce: The argument that farmers markets cause traffic problems—specifically, Crerar says the congestion on Seventh and Ninth Streets slows down his connection to E Street—is not new. In September, the White House Farmers Market underwent similar controversy for closing part of Vermont Avenue. Jamie, writing at Prince of Petworth, says, “If this guy is really having 15 minutes added to his commute once a week, it is reasonable to assume that hundreds, if not thousands of other people are similarly affected.” Crerar has proposed an alternative site: the south side of the Smithsonian galleries on F Street.

Leave the Produce Alone: But Crerar doesn’t seem to be garnering much vocal support from his fellow commuters: An online commenter on DNA says, “I follow the same route…it would be an overstatement to say that having 8^th street closed adds five minutes to my trip.” And Pat Lute, a spokesman for Freshfarm Markets, told City Desk: “The feedback the farmers market has received has been overwhelmingly positive, it’s been called a jewel of the neighborhood. ...We are very hopeful that everything is going to work out.” The DNA dismisses the Smithsonian gallery alternative, saying F street is too busy and must remain clear for access to the museums.

Next Step: According to Lute, the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C passed a resolution Friday in support of the market. The transportation department's Public Space Committee will also presumably discuss the issue at its Oct. 22. meeting.

Photo by Alicia Griffin, Creative Commons Attribution License