Goodbye, Godfather: When U.S. presidents die, they lie in state in the Capitol. Now that the Godfather of the Go-Go has died, he'll lie in state, too—in a much more befitting spot. Fans will be able to wish Chuck Brown off well at the Howard Theatre on Tuesday, where a public viewing will take place all day, and then again at a public funeral Thursday at the D.C. Convention Center. Wind us up one more time, Chuck. +3

Apology Tour, Continued: It's best, when apologizing for offending an ethnic group, not to offend another ethnic group in the process. But apparently no one told that to Marion Barry, as the Ward 8 councilmember used the term "Polacks," which most people of Polish descent find derogatory, while meeting with Asian American groups to apologize for bashing Filipino nurses and Asian-owned food stores. Barry has now apologized in a short statement for the second offense; hopefully there weren't enough words in that statement to fit any more insults. -2

Uberlegislation: Gadget-friendly car service Uber launched last year to great fanfare from its fans, and great consternation from D.C. taxi officials, who say the company is violating regulations on limos and cabs in the District. But that may soon be over—D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh, whose Ward 3 probably houses quite a few of the service's regular riders, has introduced a bill explicitly designed to make Uber street-legal. Which means the only reason to gripe about Uber will be its "surge pricing." +1

Exploitation, E-X-P-L-O-I-T-A-T-I-O-N, Exploitation: The Scripps National Spelling Bee kicks off Tuesday afternoon at National Harbor, in yet another installment of the annual display of kids who make the rest of us feel lazy and stupid. This year, the youngest-ever contestant will be representing Virginia in the Bee: Lori Anne Madison, of Prince William County. Who is 6 years old. Expect lots of fawning talk about how tough a competitor she is on ESPN. Don't expect anyone to wonder why a kid who should be drawing chalk on the sidewalk is spelling complicated words live on a cable sports network. -1

Yesterday's Needle rating: 42 Today's score: +1 Friday bonus: +2 Memorial Day weekend bonus: +2 Today's Needle rating: 47

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Good morning from Washington City Paper! It's Friday! We'll be off on Monday and we hope you are too.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS: Mayor Vince Gray aide Howard Brooks pleads guilty. [WAMU] Chris Cillizza: Gray had the worst week in Washington. [Post] Former mayor-for-life Marion Barry apologized to Asians, offended Poles. [WAMU] Black voters may push same-sex marriage over the top in Maryland. [Times] Trayvon Martin Day at Malcolm X Elementary School in Congress Heights. [Post] Things some parents find suspicious: A man sipping coffee while sitting in a park. [Post]

YOUR DAILY QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASUREMENT: On Thursday, City Paper's Needle fell six points. The bad news: This Gray investigation is getting pretty serious. The good news: For a mere $5 million Metrobuses will show up on time. Take a look here.

SIX CITY PAPER STORIES FROM THE LAST 24 HOURS TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

Howard Brooks Pleads Guilty: LL has the highlights of the plea, including: "In June 2010, Brooks met with an unidentified person and Thomas Gore, Gray's campaign treasurer, who pleaded guilty to obstructing justice on Tuesday. At that meeting Brooks 'was instructed to make payments' to Brown, though court records don't say who did the instructing. After the hearing, Brooks' attorney said it wasn't Brooks' idea to pay Brown. LL's already named the unidentified person as campaign chairwoman and Gray's closest friend Lorraine Green."

McMillan Plan Heads to Historic Preservation Review With Most Neighborhood Groups Opposed: "If it were not clear before, let the current state of discussion around planning for the McMillan Sand Filtration Plant leave no doubt that this site is the biggest development headache in the entire city (which, considering the competition, is saying something)."

Marion Barry’s Apology Goes Slightly Awry: Sudip Bhattacharya has a dispatch from yesterday's press conference and meeting with Barry and a coalition of Asian business owners and groups who wanted a public apology from Barry over his disparaging remarks about Asian businesses and Filipino nurses. There wasn't a public apology, and Barry somehow managed to offend Polish people.

Mike Isabella’s Non-Mexican Mexican Joint Opens Tonight: Bandolero opened yesterday, and Y&H asks the chef when's the last time he was in Mexico. It's been 10 years, but he defends himself: "This is not Mexican food," Isabella tells Y&H. "This is modern Mexican. I take classics, and I try to reinvent them."

Chuck Brown’s Public Viewing, Memorial Set for Next Week: Arts Desk has the details: "A public viewing of Chuck Brown's remains will take place Tuesday, May 29 at the Howard Theatre from 11 a.m to 10 p.m. A memorial service will take place Thursday, May 31 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from noon to 3 p.m."

Yet More Resources For Homeless Veterans: LDP has the latest on another non-profit getting the game.

HELLO AGAIN PHOTOS OF THE DAY: Howard Brooks Pleads Guilty by Darrow Montgomery

LINKDUMP BELOW!

LOOSE LIPS DAILY POLITICS LINKS, by Alan Suderman (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Marion Barry apologizes to Asians, offends Poles [CD]
• Howard Brooks pleads guilty, all eyes now on Lorraine Green [Post]
• "It did not appeal to the people we were trying to attract, and it was not something we sanctioned,” Green, last year [Times]
• If you did something naughty during the Gray campaign, it's time to come clean, says Ron Machen. "We urge others to do the same as we continue our efforts to get to the bottom of what happened during the 2010 election." [AP]
• D.C. fire department lieutenant on leave after stealing hay, as in horses [Examiner]
• A way out for Gray? [NBC4]

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LINKS, by Housing Complex blogger Lydia DePillis (tips? housingcomplex@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• In defense of classicism. [Post]
• The history and culture of parking. [ASLA]
• Boxy building for T Street. [PoP]
• Shall we crown a new most expensive house? [Urbanturf]
• Environmentalists opposed to low-impact development? [Post]
• Housing supply and demand are complicated. [ExtraordinaryObservations]
• Today on the market: European flair.

ARTS LINKS, by Jonathan L. Fischer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Old photos of Memorial Day 1942, mostly involving a parade around the White House. Historic eye candy! [DCist]
• R.I.P. Hal Jackson, who broke color barriers across many Washington radio stations. [New York Daily News]
• Protect-U on its start in D.C., plus five influential songs! [Fact]
• A plea for peace-focused monuments. [Huffington Post D.C.]

FOOD LINKS, by Young & Hungry editor Jessica Sidman

• Buffalo and Bergen is the name of mixologist Gina Chersevani's forthcoming soda shop and bar at Union Market [Washingtonian]
• Burger, Tap & Shake uses 1,200 pounds of beef and 2,000 pounds of potatoes every week [The Plate]
• New food truck called Soulvaki Stop makes its debut [Food Truck Fiesta]
• Leek American Bistro headed to Ballston later this year [WBJ]
• Art & Soul's Art Smith will compete on Top Chef Masters, which premieres July 25 [Eater]
• The case for pink slime [Washington Post]
• "Pan-Latino" food and Latin American beers at mural-art gallery VeraCruz, opening above Duffy's [Arts Desk]
• A rant against food critics [Gawker]

700 Block 7th Street, NW.  May 24th.  © 2012 Matt Dunn

Talkin' Bout the Money: Court documents released in today's guilty plea by a former Vince Gray campaign aide (as opposed to Tuesday's guilty plea by a former Vince Gray campaign aide) indicate the winning effort accepted money from at least one "straw donor," who gave funds actually provided by someone else. Which has the potential to move the federal investigation of the campaign out of "Oh, isn't this Sulaimon Brown stuff kind of amusing," and into more serious territory. For now, though, we'll stick to the amusing stuff: Brown used some of the money the Gray campaign gave him to pay his Geico bill. -4

Getaway Bike: Those red Capital Bikeshare rides all over town aren't just useful for getting from your job on the Hill to your kickball game; they're also good for robbing people. Or so someone allegedly demonstrated Tuesday night on East Capitol Street, rolling up on a woman talking on her iPhone and snatching the device out of her hand without even stopping. The bikes aren't the fastest ones around, but apparently they're fast enough. Authorities say it was the first crime committed using Bikeshare, but we doubt it'll be the last. -2

Anchors Away: Yet another D.C. local news station is losing its longtime sports anchor. Fox 5's Dave Feldman is fleeing Wisconsin Avenue NW for San Francisco, where he grew up. Feldman follows Channel 9's Brett Haber and Channel 4's Lindsay Czarniak, who also left their posts recently. Why? Blame ESPN, which is where Czarniak went, anyway. -1

Busted: How much money does it cost to get Metrobuses to show up on time? At least $5 million, according to a plan the transit agency released today. Some routes will add more accordion-style double buses, others will switch from fixed timetables (which are, let's be honest, essentially transit slash fiction) to schedules that say "a bus will be there every 10 minutes." You're probably still better off buying a bike, but hey, it's a start. +1

Yesterday's Needle rating: 48 Today's score: -6 Today's Needle rating: 42

Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry held his second meeting with members of the Asian-American community today in a Baptist church off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, where he was expected to apologize for his previous remarks disparaging Filipino nurses and Asian owned businesses.

Unfortunately, we can't tell you firsthand whether he actually did, since he didn’t let the media in to see the apology when it happened.

Before the meeting started, though, we spoke with Marissa Usman, a registered nurse and president of the Philippine Nurses Association in D.C. “We just want him to acknowledge the Filipino nurses,” Usman told us. And not just the Filipino ones. “There are professionals, skilled nurses, there are all over Washington D.C. area and they are the nurses serving his community.”

When Barry appeared, he asked for the chairs to be arranged in a circle. His aides and others present—including Asian-American community representatives—shuffled and dragged the chairs toward the councilmember who sat down and began speaking to those around him. Soon, though, after a few photographs were taken, he asked that no media be allowed to for the meeting.

Reporters hung out in the hallway, pressing their ears to the door now and then. A woman's voice could be heard complaining that stores owned by Asians were “filthy” and giving people “disease.”

Eventually, Barry aides taped the doors up with white paper.

Well into the meeting, the media was allowed back in. More pictures were taken, and finally, Barry took the podium up on the stage, standing next to Usman of the Philippine Nurses Association.

According to Barry, there was at least dialogue between Asian-American and African-American voices in the community. He said that this meeting was just a step, and it wouldn’t solve the issues between them.

We asked him why he was apologizing now and not sooner. He answered, “That’s put behind us.”

(Barry refused to answer any other questions from Washington City Paper. “The City Paper is a rag,” he told us before turning away.)

We did get to speak with Angela Ho, a meeting attendee who told us, “This is as much as he was capable of.” Overall, she was positive about Barry's statements, and said she appreciated him speaking since he was considered a “national” figure.

As for Floyd Mori, national executive director and CEO of the Japanese American Citizens League, he felt Barry needed to “soften his language.”

“Next step is up to the councilman, to put some of his words into action in developing some mechanism that allow for better understanding,” said Mori, “It’s the councilman’s responsibility to bring the various ethnic communities together.”

All of which might have made for a pretty decent story of reconciliation, if not for the fact that Barry—in the course of apologizing—used a traditionally disparaging word for Poles in explaining why there's been so much racial tension in America.

"The Irish caught hell, the Jews caught hell, the Polacks caught hell,” he said. He then told the Washington Post he had said no such thing, before admitting he had and saying he meant Poles.

Up next, more meetings?

Photo by Sudip Bhattacharya

MPD has released the list of new speed cameras that have hit the District. Starting May 7, you may have gotten a warning in the mail. Starting June 7, the "educational phase" will be over and those warnings will turn into tickets. Where are the cameras? List after the jump.

Photo by katmeserin via Flickr/Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.0 License

300 Block of C Street NW, May 22

This and previous page three photos are also in this gallery.

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Good morning from Washington City Paper! It's Thursday! The dead tree edition is hitting the streets, so get yours.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS: A second Mayor Vince Gray campaign guy charged. [Post] Robert McCartney: Gray is either a fool or a liar. [Post] Post ed board: Explain yourself, Mr. Mayor [Post] Chuck Thies: "It is entirely possible Gray knew nothing." [NBCWashington] Drivers think speed cameras are cash cows. [WTOP] Personnel "file burn" investigation continues. [Times]

YOUR DAILY QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASUREMENT: On Wednesday, City Paper's Needle stayed flat. The bad news: Another Gray aide bites the dust. The good news: All hail Wegmans. Take a look here.

SIX CITY PAPER STORIES FROM THE LAST 24 HOURS TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

How Chuck Wound Us Up: This week's cover is all about the late, great Chuck Brown. Sarah Godfrey: "Unwinding Chuck." Shani Hilton: "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Go-Go." Julia Fisher: "Talkin' Bout Money!" Marcus J. Moore: "Chuck Brown, Rap Patriarch." Andrew Noz: "Go-Go, Square One."

The Thomas Antidote: LL takes a break from the snowballing drama in the Wilson building to take a look at Ward 5's new councilmember Kenyan McDuffie. Is he the cure for what ails the ward in the wake of the Harry Thomas Jr. scandal?

Sulaimon To City Paper: “Kiss My Ass”: Sulaimon Brown, who's feeling pretty vindicated these days after the FBI produced proof that he actually did receive payments from the Gray campaign, doesn't feel like talking to LL about it. Still, LL has plenty more details about the unfolding investigation (even if Gray himself is staying mum).

Broken Windows Theory: In her column this week, LDP considers the case of a Korean church that wants to get rid of the stained glass windows in its new home—unfortunately the home is on the historic preservation list. The problem? The windows don't mix well with religion of the church.

God is My Sous Chef: Y&H Jessica Sidman reports on the rituals, big and small, that chefs and restaurateurs perform to get the "energy" in their kitchens and dining rooms just right. Very superstitious!

North Korean Defector Ma Young-Ae to Perform at Senate Event: "Ma plays theyanggeum, a traditional stringed instrument played with mallets. Most of her gigs have been at local Korean churches, but tomorrow she enjoys her biggest stage yet: the U.S. Senate. The D.C. edition of the Hangook Ilbo (Korea Daily) reports Ma will perform at a reception for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at the Russell Senate Office Building."

WIND US UP CHUCK PHOTOS OF THE DAY: Chuck Brown and [Your Name Here] by You

LINKDUMP AFTER THE JUMP!

LOOSE LIPS DAILY POLITICS LINKS, by Alan Suderman (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Mayor Gray loses the Post's Robert McCartney: "Vincent Gray is either a fool or a liar — and I’m inclined toward the latter." [Post]
• Howard Brooks, come on down, it's your turn in front of the cameras [Post]
• If Ron Machen is this pissed off about Sulaimongate, imagine how he feels about the alleged shadow campaign [NBC4]
• Gray's no comment is a "stunning turnaround" [WUSA9]
• Mitt Romney a big fan of DC voucher program [Times]
• Darrell Issa's flack says his boss and Gray are still cool [Times]
• Big change in teacher evaluations at DCPS [Examiner]

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LINKS, by Housing Complex blogger Lydia DePillis (tips? housingcomplex@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• The lifecycle of a community art installation. [PoP]
• No parking lot is safe on 14th Street. [Urbanturf]
• Calvary is back in Anacostia. [CHotR]
• If you're going to be homeless, try to be a veteran. [WTOP]
• Rhode Island Row gets a bona fide sit-down restaurant. [RIAInsider]
• The rest of what's wrong with that Bubble on the Potomac piece. [DavidKlion]
• Business leaders looking for a few good transportation projects. [2030Group]
• Today on the market: Quiet building near the city.

ARTS LINKS, by Jonathan L. Fischer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Lindsay Zoladz gives local art-punkers Imperial China the Pitchfork stamp. [Pitchfork]
• New Orleans remembers Chuck Brown [NOLA.com]
• Radio CPR's Chuck Brown tribute [Dissonance]
• The Kreeger Museum's program for arts lovers with Alzheimer's [NPR]
• Tilda, Tilda, TILDA [Style Blog]

FOOD LINKS, by Young & Hungry editor Jessica Sidman

• Patio and outdoor dining guide—with pics! [BYT]
• Michael Landrum opening Nice ’n’ Greasy, Steak ’n’ Cheesy in Arlington [Washingtonian]
• Real sand and other things to expect from New York Avenue Beach Bar [Eater]
• Mixologist Gina Chersevani, Red Apron Butchery, and possibly even Metrocurean blogger Amanda McClements among others opening shops at Union Market development [Washingtonian]
• Food truck regulation debate heating up in Rosslyn [ARLnow]
• Check out the menu at Shaw's newest Ethiopian restaurant [PoP]
• Buzz Aldrin dines at Proof [Reliable Source]

A Kinder Chevy Chase: After a drive-by rock throwing incident, someone in Chevy Chase was heartened by the email list’s neighborly advice. He writes, “Please let me take the time to thank those who responded to my dispirited 'plea' last week that was precipitated when a rock came flying though my front door window. The replies came in great variety but had much in common: They were thoughtful, concerned, caring and generous of spirit — qualities that I associate with genuine neighborliness.” He goes on to explain that this reaction might be something of a rarity: “What I can say from this experience is that this [email list], which too often gives the impression of a fractious community, full of snarky self-righteousness, has another dimension that needs to be celebrated.”

The Clean: Various Ward 1 communication forums continue to debate what the reintroduction of Jim Graham's beloved Clean Teams means. One member writes, “Our civic challenge is to work beyond the machinations of CM Graham's pay-to-play machine and the sucking up moves of an ANC commissioner and work with [the person in charge of the Clean Teams] to make this program sustainable and work for this community and those who work in the service/program.” Councilmember Jim Graham responds on the MPD-3D email list that he hears “your support for the Clean Teams” and will work on revising their schedule to address neighborhood concerns. Back on the Columbia Heights list, the conversation turns to individual and corporate responsibility to maintain private plots of land, as well as what role the city should play in the upkeep of public areas. One person wants to avoid being overly proactive in policing litterbugs: “I'm sorry but did you hear what happened to the guy at 14 and W who tried to talk to the person littering in front of the building? No, it wasn't a kid but given the very real problem with juvenile crime in DC I don't blame anyone for biting their tongues. Cleaning tree boxes I do agree with but not with having to roll the dice with confronting litterers. Call it cowardly but I don't want my face punched in over a beer can or chewing gum.”

When Shit Hits the Spokes: An avid biker wrote in to Prince of Petworth, revealing a vicious dog poop-throwing incident in Georgetown. The letter reads, “I live in Shaw and have been biking around town for about two years and haven’t encountered many dog owners who don’t pick up after their dogs, but then this past Saturday I was biking through Georgetown (distinctly remember being at 29th and P) when a lady literally threw her dog’s droppings in the street, narrowly missing me as I passed by.” The most shocking part of the incident was that “she had a plastic bag on her hand. I mean seriously, she had a plastic bag, why couldn’t she bag it up? Just wondering if you’ve ever heard anything like this before?”

Wiseguy Supercans: Someone on the Chevy Chase email list offers a solution for an apparent neighborhood problem: Supercan theft. He writes, “Uncertain remedy: paint your address on your Supercan. That might deter a neighbor who is thinking of swiping it (for any number of uses) or a wiseguy who thinks he/she can sell it for cash. Might, or might not. It’s a vexing problem.” A tentative solution for a vexing problem.

Dupont Circle, NW.  © 2012 Matt Dunn

Paging Mayor Franks: Irritated by Rep. Trent Franks' (R-Ariz.) bill that would ban abortion after 20 weeks in the District, protesters met outside of his office with a list of other D.C. specific concerns they wished "Mayor" Franks would address. Rats, potholes, parking tickets and Metro were all fair game. Unfortunately for them, Franks and his staff cleared out of the office for the day to avoid the scrum. Unfortunately for Franks, if he keeps meddling in D.C. affairs he may find himself looking for new office space. +2

Another One Bites The Dust: Yesterday Gray aide Thomas Gore pleaded guilty to destroying evidence and lying to the FBI—today another Gray campaign guy, Howard Brooks, was charged with lying to the FBI about payments to Sulaimon Brown. "Brooks first broke onto the scene last spring, when an angry and recently unemployed Sulaimon Brown took a wild story about being paid with cash to run for mayor, then promised a city job, to the Washington Post. Brown told the Post that Brooks and Gray's campaign chairwoman Lorraine Green gave him cash-stuffed envelopes in return for attacking then-Mayor Adrian Fenty on the campaign trail. It turns out, we all know by now, that Brown wasn't kidding." -3

Red Means Stop: Apparently drivers need a reminder on Memorial Day weekend, which sees the highest incidences of red-light running. "People are anxious to get where they're going," David Kelly, president and executive director of the National Coalition for Safer Roads, tells WTOP. "They're not paying attention in the car to what they're doing, they're rushed because they're in traffic, there's so many different reasons." Sounds like a good reason to stay off the roads to us! -1

All Hail Wegmans: While he didn't respond to reporters' questions about the federal investigation and charges against his associates, Mayor Gray did talk about one possible new development: A Wegmans grocery store in the District. He didn't spill any details, but suggested that the grocer could be coming into town. +2

Friday's Needle rating: 48 Today's score: 0 Today's Needle rating: 48

Nothing like a health scare to help change someone's mind. After suffering a blood clot in Las Vegas this week while traveling with a District delegation to a retail conference, former mayor-for-life Marion Barry tweeted that he's okay, and that he's been getting excellent care from Filipino hospital staff.

I also thank outstanding medical staff, incl. kind professional Filipino staff. I stand corrected; I truly didn't mean 2 hurt or offend.

— Marion S. Barry, Jr. (@marionbarryjr) May 21, 2012

This, of course, is in the wake of Barry getting called out for complaining about Filipino nurses. If you'll recall, back in April, Barry said during a D.C. Council hearing:

In fact, it's so bad that if you go to the hospital now, you find a number of immigrants who are nurses, particularly from the Philippines. And no offense, but let's grow our own teachers, let's grow our own nurses—and so that we don't have to be scrounging around in our community clinics and other kinds of places—having to hire people from somewhere else.

Considering this was just weeks after Barry chastised "dirty" Asian businesses, it unsurprisingly didn't go over that well. Barry initially refused to backtrack, instead blaming the media for taking his remarks out of context. But after a few weeks of of silence, he had a quiet meeting last week with a coalition of Asian-American and Pacific Islander groups who'd launched a campaign insisting that he "say sorry."

Barry "opened up and did the typical thing that he does—he goes over his credentials," says a source who attended the meeting but asked not to be identified. "He actually said, 'I have an impeccable civil rights history,' which is true."

At the meeting Barry "gave a genuine apology" and agreed to hold a press conference at noon tomorrow with David Chung, the commissioner of the Office on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs (an office Barry created during his mayoralty) and others at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

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Good morning from Washington City Paper! It's Wednesday!

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS: Now that Thomas Gore has pleaded guilty, what's next for Mayor Vince Gray? [WAMU] And more on Gore's plea. [Post] So did all those shovel-ready projects that received federal stimulus money ever get completed? [NBC4] Foreign students brought in to the area to work summer jobs—but what about local kids? [Post] 96 percent of D.C. residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. [Examiner]

YOUR DAILY QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASUREMENT: On Tuesday, City Paper's Needle stayed flat. The bad news: Strange fire at fire department training academy. The good news: To catch Gary Giordano. Take a look here.

SIX CITY PAPER STORIES FROM THE LAST 24 HOURS TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

Four Points From Thomas Gore’s Guilty Plea: LL's #3: "Court records indicate that Gore did not act alone in hatching the woefully stupid plan to fund Brown to keep him in the race. Court records say Gore acted in concert with "other members" of the Gray campaign. Who are the others, and do they also have a date with federal prosecutors looming?"

Is the District Setting Personnel Records on Fire?: So why, exactly, did firefighters respond to a call last Friday that included some of their own personnel records on fire in dumpsters?

Uber As Proxy For D.C.’s Nouveau Riche: LDP takes issue with a recent Time article that explores the world of the young, rich and childless in D.C. "The trend of increasing wealth in the Washington area is true enough, but the activity he notices downtown is more than that. It's also the result of a gradual move to cities, D.C. in particular, as they've become more attractive places to live. Those young folks wouldn't necessarily be having as much fun as they are without the city investment and planning that helped bring neighborhoods back from ruin."

Hilton Brothers Pull Out of H Street: They've got too much on their plates, apparently, reports Jessica Sidman. "So what are those other projects they'll be focusing on, all near U Street? The Hiltons plan to open a diner/burger joint called Satellite Kitchen in late June or early July and British pub The Brixton before July 4. Next up will be El Rey Taqueria and an unnamed space next to the Montserrat House."

Tryst Moves Into Phillips Collection: Kriston Capps just has one question. "Are they serving those little animal crackers to Phillips visitors who order coffee? I'd count that as a win."

Can D.C. Really Pay For Massive Sewer Upgrades?: Brookings says no, D.C. Water says yes.

BUCKLE UP PHOTO OF THE DAY: Thomas Gore Pleads Guilty by Darrow Montgomery

LINKDUMP AFTER THE JUMP!

LOOSE LIPS DAILY POLITICS LINKS, by Alan Suderman (tips? lips@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Thomas Gore pleads guilty, Sulaimon Brown partially vindicated, Vince Gray stays silent [Post, Times]
• Harry Jaffe's sources says Gray pal Vernon Hawkins, Jeff Thompson associate Jeanne Harris and campaign driver Mark Long have all been talking to the feds [Washingtonian]
• Fred Cooke Jr. says more charges coming [NBC4]
• Don't re-up on CFO Nat Gandhi, say Gandhi critics [Post]
• More school vouchers please [Post]
• Reboot education reform with tax incentives [Examiner]

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LINKS, by Housing Complex blogger Lydia DePillis (tips? housingcomplex@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Okay, just two days of your life wasted in traffic, awesome. [Post]
• Washingtonians have pretty good access to parks. [Examiner]
• More taxes for better transit in MoCo. [Post]
• Novel short-car parking solution. [PoP]
• Union Market has 11 restaurants signed up. [DCmud]
• The U Streetification of Florida Avenue. [L4L]
• Did ABC Board overstep its bounds in Hank's case? [BLT]
• Honestly, why is it so hard to install good bike racks? [GGW]
• Developers lop a floor off office building across from a Metro stop. [EMMCA]
• Today on the market: Building in an office forest.

ARTS LINKS, by Ally Schweitzer (tips? artsdesk@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Jeff Chang on the legacy of Chuck Brown [Grantland]
• Spin interviews Fat Trel [Spin]
• Robyn will DJ not one, but two sets at U Street Music Hall July 8 [Post]
• BuzzFeed will open a D.C. bureau. LOLcats for everyone! [FishbowlDC]
• A chat with 826DC director Joe Callahan [Huffington Post D.C.]

FOOD LINKS, by Young & Hungry editor Jessica Sidman

• Study says buying organic food may make you a jerk [Time]
• Online petition opposing a liquor license moratorium for the 14th St. corridor has more than 650 signatures so far [Borderstan]
• Tax troubles for Sushiko [Washington Post]
• Craft cocktail bar and restaurant Quench now officially open in Rockville [Eater]
• Food porn from Mike Isabella's Bandolero, opening Thursday [Washingtonian]
• Former Ben & Jerry's in Dupont rumored to become Jamba Juice [PoP]
• What the heck is meat glue anyway? [Eatocracy]

Franklin Square, NW.  May 19th.  © 2012 Matt Dunn

Graham on the Streets: For a member of the Adams Morgan email list, the reinstatement of Councilmember Jim Graham's beloved Clean Teams is too politicized. “Have you ever spoken to a Clean Team member on the street? I have a number of times in the context of saying hello as I walk by and telling them I appreciate what they are doing. What I have found is that more often than not, Jim Graham's name comes up real fast from the Clean Team worker. It is as if they are trained to respond to a compliment by directing me to Jim Graham," the member claims. "I have been asked to write a letter of thanks to Jim Graham by Clean Team workers and the supervisor on the street. I have heard workers tell me that none of this would be without Jim Graham. I have never heard any Clean Team people say anything about DC government, D.C. taxpayers or reply that they appreciate my support. Some people criticize Marion Barry's efforts in the past to get people city jobs. They say he used city employment to his benefit, making people 'owe' him. Jim Graham does the same thing with Clean Team. Clean Team is not about clean streets. Clean Team is about Jim Graham's power and control of Ward 1.”

Aside from Politics: A member of the Cleveland Park email list issues a request for companionship—in skydiving. “I went skydiving for the third time on Saturday,” the member writes. “I would love to share the experience with folks on the [email list]. I had 3 guests on Saturday—it made it much more fun having friends there with whom I could share the day." If this plaintive plea isn't enough, the member also offers, “If you've always thought about skydiving, but have never tried, now's the time. I'll drive if you need a ride.”

Politically Correct Crestwood: “Can someone explain the reference to ‘ghetto bird’?" delicately asks a member of the Crestwood email list. "I thought I'd ask before becoming immediately offended with the comment.”

Ramrod: A member of the Georgetown email list asks, “Does anyone have a saw that can cut through rod iron? I need to shorten 6 legs of floor room-divider screen by 1 inch each. I can bring the screen to you along with a 6 pack of Sam Adams (to be consumed preferable after the cutting job). :-)” (At the end of the request is a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”)