Today is Car-Free Day in the District of Columbia, which provided city politicos a chance to prove their ecocredentials during this morning’s commute.

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, who masterminded the holiday, rode his bike to work, as did City Administrator Dan Tangherlini. Council Chairman Vincent Gray and Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans took Metro. But several other councilmembers chose less purist modes of transport.

At-Large Councilmember Carol Schwartz, for instance, says she was picked up and driven by a staffer to a morning appointment. She cited a rather bulky briefcase for the chauffeur treatment. She did, after the appointment, walk the remainder of the trip to the John A. Wilson Building. Her trademark Jaguar remained parked at home, she says.

The biggest splash came from At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, who arrived with Wells atop a police-issue Segway he rode all the way from his Hillcrest home. LL suggested to Wells that the Segway was cheating, seeing as it has a motor that has to be charged off the electric grid. Gotta watch that carbon footprint, Kwame!

Wells defended Brown’s choice of wheels, calling them “in the spirit of the day.” Brown said his conveyance was inspired by a sense of empathy: “I wanted to see what it was like for the disabled.”

Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander chose not to eschew internal combustion for her commute: She showed up on a sharp purple Vespa Granturismo scooter. In her defense, she did manage to scooterpool: Friend and Hillcrest resident Darryl D. Rose piloted the petite vessel to the Wilson Building while Alexander held on behind.

“I drive a Land Rover,” she says. “I had to wean myself off.”

And it seems that Car-Free Day might turn out to be Car-Free Morning for the D.C. Council. At the Council’s pre-session breakfast meeting, discussions turned to transportation down to the Capitol for today’s Senate vote on District congressional representation. Gray offered use of his official car and a van to ferry councilmembers the 13-and-a-half blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue NW for the vote.

It’s a Friday afternoon in D.C. in the middle of August. The D.C. Council is in recess—has been, actually, for over a month. In other words, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to be working today. Even workoholic Mayor Adrian Fenty left for vacay today. And yet! Some of your public servants are still showing up to work. For Loose Lips Video No. 2, we took inventory of who still has their noses to the grindstone. Turns out it’s the council’s rugrats—rookies like Yvette Alexander, Muriel Bowser, and Tommy Wells—who are still marking time at city hall. Interesting tibit gleaned from our interviews: Wards 4, 6, and 7 all “never sleep”!

Thanks as always to intrepid cameraman Arthur Delaney.

P.S.: Those of you wondering when Loose Lips the column will be returning, look for it in the Sept. 7 issue.

The Committee on Public Works and the Environment yesterday voted to approve a moratorium on single sales of alcohol for a section of H Street NE. The proposal must now come before the full council for consideration.

According to a communiqué from the office of Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells, the measure, which would prohibit the sale of single containers of beer and half-pints of liquor, would span the 700 to the 1400 block of H Street NE. He said the proposal “will go a long way to address some of the chaos and crime afflicting H Street, NE.”

A similar moratorium is already in effect for a slice of Mount Pleasant, and supporters cite a reduction in calls for service to MPD as a result. But local H Street business owners have fought the ban, with Paul Pascal, an attorney for some of the businesses, saying it’s a “draconian” response that amounts to an effort by neighbors to micromanage local commerce.

But Wells says he supports the ban. “For too long, we’ve had individuals using our curbsides and sidewalks as open-air bars,” he said in the release. “I’m proud to support the ANC and residents to put the moratorium in effect…”

UPDATE, 1:14 P.M.: According to a Council staffer, Wells’ bill failed to get the nine votes required of emergency legislation.

Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans seemed to put the kibosh on recent efforts to tighten restrictions on kids in nightclubs when, on June 5, he motioned to table the Taleshia Ford Memorial Amendment Act of 2007.

The bill, introduced by Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham after Ford was fatally shot at Smarta/Broadway in January, would prohibit unaccompanied minors under age 18 from hanging out at alcohol-licensed establishments that provide entertainment after 11 p.m. on school nights and after 12 a.m. on weekends or during the summer. It has been sent back to committee for revisions.

Now Tommy Wells has reportedly introduced a measure changing the District’s curfew laws and enforcement that has D.C. club owners shaking in their summer sandals. (Wells’ staff was unable to immediately confirm the legislation is pending.) The following e-mail was circulated by a Black Cat staff member early this morning:

From: “Vicki / Black Cat”
Date: June 21, 2007 1:22:38 AM EDT
Subject: Emergency legislation = Ban on all-ages venues

Hi all,

Councilmember Tommy Wells proposed emergency legislation today that would change DC’s summer curfew laws. As the law currently stands, the curfew applies to those 16 and under, with curfew hours beginning at 11pm on the weekdays and midnight on the weekends. Wells’ new proposal would up the age to 17 and the time to 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. And, add that to the fact that club owners have recently been told that any curfew law on record will now be enforced by the ABC Board and by the police at all establishments with liquor licenses.

So, Wells’ proposal would, in effect, create a ban on all-ages shows - as it would prevent anyone 17 and under from being at a show or club (or restaurant, party, house show, etc.) after 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. In other words, it’s a back-door method of achieving the very outcome that people so roundly criticized and fought against months ago. The worst part of this is that the meeting on Wells’ proposal is being held tomorrow at City Council (Thursday) and there will be no public comment as this is “emergency legislation.”

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