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4800 Block of MacArthur Boulevard NW, July 4

Palisades, July 4

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—"Young ANC Candidate: Eliminate Curfew," "Coming Soon: New Loose Lips," "Man Who Helped Save Metro Passenger Speaks Out," "Lawsuit Filed As WTU Election Fiasco Gets Personal," "Candidates Swarm Stinky Palisades Parade," "Photo: Fireworks Over Park View"

Good afternoon. Hope you are enjoying your lunch and avoiding this heat. Michelle Rhee's suggestion last week that she may not stick around if Vincent Gray beats her boss has provoked a lot of debate. The WaPo editorial board thinks much of this election should focus on Rhee: "EVEN AS D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee suggested she might not be able to continue her work if Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) is voted out of office, she insisted the race is not about her. The key, she said, is 'the two gentlemen who are running and what their kind of stances are about education reform.' She is both right and wrong. Clearly, voters must decide whether, on the all-important issue of education, Mr. Fenty or D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D) is the better choice. That decision, though, is inextricably linked to a judgment about Ms. Rhee....Mr. Gray rightly argues that reform doesn't depend upon one person. But the past three years have shown two men with a very different sense of urgency about reform. Voters who believe the D.C. schools have turned an irreversible corner may opt for Mr. Gray's slower, consensus-building style. Those who believe Ms. Rhee has made epic progress in positioning the schools for change but think there is still work to be done, will have reason to give Mr. Fenty their vote."

Meanwhile, WaPo's Jay Mathews thinks Rhee made a mistake in stepping into the political arena; and that Gray needs to realize how important Rhee actually is to school reform: "Suggesting she might leave if D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray beats Fenty, as she has in recent days, is turning her back, at least in part, on those children. Rhee has vowed to focus on the problems of students, not adults. Until now she had been true to her word. That has led many adults whose advice she has ignored and prerogatives she has overridden to wish she would go find some other school district to save. Saying she would leave if Gray is elected is good news to those people. It is bad for the principals she has appointed, the teachers who share her commitment to raising achievement and the parents who are beginning to see the teamwork, creativity and persistence in regular city public schools that they have found in many charter schools. In Gray's plan 'for ensuring a quality education for all children,' released last week, he has not committed himself to keeping Rhee. That is smart politically. He does not want to alienate her supporters or detractors. I like his plan. It is full of good intentions and reminders of how he supported mayoral control of the schools and the hiring of Rhee, although she is to my mind the most unconventional and stress-inducing administrator ever put in charge of an important American school district. But there is something lacking in Gray's plan that indicates either he doesn't care, or doesn't understand, how important his decision about Rhee will be. He gives no hint of what a disaster for public education it would be to lose this chancellor."

This substitute LL thinks all this Rhee talk is good for Fenty. But would like to hear Fenty talk about the difficult decisions he made to reform the schools–like closing 20-some schools, the teacher firings, etc.  Still, plenty of room for debate in the comments.

AFTER THE JUMP—Metro mess, Riddick Bowe's sad life in Fort Washington, Wal-Mart might be coming to D.C., Jim Graham leads in Ward One Council race, and much, much more!

BIGGEST BOX: WaPo's Jonathan O'Connell reports that Wal-Mart is inching closer to dominating our lives: "Fresh off a deal with the City of Chicago that will allow Wal-Mart Stores to open more than a dozen locations there, the mega-retailer is closing in on an agreement to open its first store in D.C. Wal-Mart is negotiating to open a store on New York Avenue NE near the intersection of Bladensburg Road, on a parcel owned by a family in the taxicab business, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The chain, which has expressed interest in opening a store in the city for years as part of its expansion into major urban markets, has not yet signed a lease but is expected to by this fall, the sources said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by the companies to discuss the details. Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., agreed to a deal with the Chicago City Council on June 30 that gives it the green light to open its second store there by 2012 and two dozen or more stores in the city in coming years. Spokesman Steven Restivo said the agreement exhibits the company's interest in building outlets in urban areas. 'Wal-Mart does not have any new projects to announce in the [the District], but we continue to evaluate opportunities that would allow us to create jobs and provide affordable groceries to D.C. residents,' he said."

METRO MESS: 100 Metro cars have pulled over door problems. WaPo's Ann Scott Tyson and Martin Weil report: "Metro officials averted a potential nightmare before July Fourth crowds arrived in Washington when they discovered that the doors on dozens of rail cars could — under the right circumstances — open while in movement, according to the agency's operations chief. Simulations determined that an electrical short on the 4000 series cars could cause the door motor to energize and run "until it opens the door all the way" and then force the train to brake, operations chief Dave Kubicek said. The agency announced just before midnight Saturday that it was removing all 100 of the 4000 series rail cars from service as a safety precaution to check and repair the doors. Kubicek said 60 or 70 of the cars have been deployed each day, so Metro will have to run fewer eight-car trains and more six-car trains while attempting to maintain its current rail schedule. We could be short some cars,' he said. 'On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we might not see all the equipment we should see.'"

Meanwhile, a man was killed after being struck by an Orange line train over the weekend.

ECONOMY DOWN, RENTS UP: The Examiner's David Sherfinski reports rents are up in the D.C. area: "The cost of renting an apartment in the Washington area climbed 3.6 percent in the last year — greater than the rate of inflation — according to a report from a real estate consulting firm. Homes lingering on the market and renters with well-paying jobs contributed to people moving into high-end apartments at one of the strongest rates in the nation, the report said. And as demand rises, so, too, do prices. The area's average rent was about $1,600. From a development perspective, the 3.6 percent increase is 'definitely a good thing,' said Grant Montgomery, vice president of Delta Associates, which released the report. Older, less pricey apartments are also filling up, an early indicator that job growth has resumed but that renters are adjusting to a "new normal" in the down economy, the report said. With the local economy still in a nascent recovery, people are more value-conscious, Montgomery said.... The rent increase outpaced the inflation rate of 2.2 percent in the 12-month period ending in April. And renting in the area is certainly no bargain; rent in the District averaged more than $2,137." Then again...this story has like one source—the VP behind the study. Would have liked to have heard from others in the social services community, DHS, etc. on the impact of higher rents.

WARD ONE RACE: According to a Jim Graham campaign press release, the Ward One councilmember has a more than healthy lead over his opponents Bryan Weaver and Jeff Smith, and Adrian Fenty is besting Vincent Gray in the ward:

"D.C. Councilmember Jim Graham’s reelection is supported by 68 percent of likely Democratic voters, according to a recent poll. Graham’s two opponents, both in single-digits, split 15 percent of the vote. 17 percent are undecided.

In addition to his very strong reelection position, 77 percent view Graham favorably and 71 percent rate his job performance as excellent/good.

"More than anything, these poll numbers tell me that our accomplishments over the past 12 years are making a big difference," Graham said. “We all know there’s more to be done, but we are on the right path and have the support of people from across the ward.”

Graham’s strong reelection, favorability and job approval numbers extend across the cultural diversity and neighborhoods of Ward One.

In the race for Mayor the leading candidates are running neck-and-neck. 43 percent of likely Democratic voters support Adrian Fenty and 37 percent support Vince Gray. 18 percent are undecided. Leo Alexander received 2 percent.

The poll of 300 likely Democratic Primary voters residing in Ward One was conducted June 28 through July 1, 2010 by the well-regarded Lake Research Partners, a national public opinion and political strategy research firm founded by Celinda Lake in 1995. http://www.lakeresearch.com/."

JULY 4 TRAGEDY: Man killed during July 4 holiday prep. NC8 reports: "A man helping neighbors set up for a community party in the 3000 block of Nelson Place in Southeast D.C. was gunned down. Now, police are searching for the shooting suspects while neighbors are mourning the murder of a friend. On Nelson Place in Southeast, 66-year-old retired D.C. Protective Services officer John Pernell was the "mayor" of the block. He would fix a kid's bike, take you to the grocery store, and advise and mentor both young and old. The father of three and grandfather of two never said no when someone was in need. 'They just don't know what they did when they killed him. They took our angel away,' said Wanda McMillion."

D.C. WATER: The Examiner's Freeman Klopott reports that D.C. Water is dealing with some folks posing as D.C. Water employees: "D.C. Water is warning its customers to be on the lookout for scammers who pose as utility workers to gain access to customers' homes and then burglarize them. The scammers give an excuse to get inside the home and then take items while the resident is distracted or case the house and come back later, officials said." More coverage via NC8.

SOBERRIDE: WTOP via The AP reports that nearly 400 people used the SoberRide service on July 4: "The SoberRide program operated by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program provided 389 rides between 10 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. That's a 17 percent increase over the last July Fourth."

ROOF FIRE: Displaces 18 residents in NW (NC8).

HEAT-RELATED: Pepco is dealing with power outages today. WUSA9 reports: "Some Pepco customers may have a hard time finding relief from the sweltering heat thanks to power outages in the area Tuesday morning. Bob Hainey, spokesperson for Pepco, says workers have located approximately 300 feet of bad secondary cable located underground in the 700 block of 12th Street in Northeast. Hainey says Pepco crews are pulling out the cable now and plan to install new cable in order to restore power to residential customers by noon. According to Hainey, approximately 3 dozen customers affected."

KEEP COOL: Here's info on local cooling centers.

RIDDICK BOWE: Now teaches at LA Boxing Gyms.

MAYOR'S SCHEDULE: No public events.

D.C. COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE: Parks and Rec roundtable, Housing Finance Board confirmation hearing, DDOE Christophe Tulou confirmation, and health hearing this afternoon.

MacArthur Blvd. NW, July 4

At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown had a gigantic truck at the July 4 Palisades parade. (Photo by Michael Grass)

After leaving the post-parade festivities at Palisades Park, complete with free hot dogs and moon bounce, City Desk surveyed the remains of the parade along its MacArthur Boulevard route. Parts of it were quite malodorous. (Who wants to have some dinner on Kemble Tavern's patio?) But it wasn't necessarily trashed like last month’s Capital Pride Parade. And no unclaimed free condoms on the sidewalk, either!

All the candy that Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans and his supporters showered on parade-goers seemed to be snapped up. The children of Ward 3 certainly love their sugary treats! City Desk wonders if Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, fresh off her legislative victory to mandate healthy school lunches, will soon start a push for a Healthy Parades Act. Will someone not think of the children and their dental health?

Cheh, meanwhile, had her supporters pass out miniature copies of the U.S. Constitution, not particularly exciting as a freebie but quite fitting for a George Washington University professor specializing in constitutional law.

Some savvy politicians targeted parade-goers with implements to beat the heat. The campaign of D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray, who is challenging Mayor Adrian Fenty in the September Democratic primary, passed out miniature fans. Team Fenty, meanwhile distributed water bottles and green towels, to which DCist’s Martin Austermuhle remarked via Twitter: "Not very soft, like the candidate!" (When City Desk touched a Fenty towel, it was indeed quite abrasive—a mix between sandpaper, chamois and ratty gym towel. Did Hizzoner not test the hand-out on his bald head prior to distribution?)

Fenty and Gray "[b]oth did a good job keeping people cool," said Nate Bennett-Fleming, who is running for D.C. shadow representative and passed out around 1,000 Nate-branded bottles of water.

Campaigning has never been an especially environmentally friendly activity, with all the signs, stickers, Mardi Gras beads, pamphlets and the like that generally have a short life span before being trashed.

One resident of MacArthur Boulevard, hosting a July 4 parade-watching party on her front lawn, told City Desk that she wished Mayor Fenty’s Green Team would’ve been more green with the parade freebies.

"I support him on school reform. But these water bottles—look, they're everywhere!" The woman, who said she would be voting for Fenty, didn’t want to disclose her name. "I know not to criticize the mayor. He rides his bike up here."

The mayor, to his credit, did have his trusty Smart car at the parade, which was dwarfed by the monster truck At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, who is running for D.C. Council chairman, had at the parade. City Desk was concerned that the gigantic vehicle would not be able to navigate some of the tight turns of the parade route, especially at Edmunds Place and Sherier Place where regular traffic jams developed as the parade snaked its way into Palisades Park.

The campaigns of Gray and former Ward 5 Councilmember Vincent Orange, who is running for D.C. Council chairman, did the best job at preemptively claiming all the good sign space along MacArthur Boulevard. (And on the lot in front of Palisades Park that once was home to the Jesse Baltimore House.) Four years ago, Fenty's mayoral campaign had the best ground game. This time, Gray bested the incumbent and had an excellent post-parade sign-collection operation. Two hours after the parade started, you would have had difficulty knowing that Gray was even at the event. (We pity the sign-collecting Gray campaign supporter that City Desk spotted walking all the way to his car parked out in front of the German Chancery on Reservoir Road, but not as much as the overheated Bolivian dancers who were weighed down by pounds of colorful costumes!)

Perhaps City Desk missed him, but we were hoping that Orange would be cruising MacArthur Boulevard on a Segway passing out candy and beads, just like he did during his ill-fated mayoral run four years ago. There were reports, however, that Orange was busy stumping for votes at an ice cream truck. Orange, known for his larger-than-life personality, seemed to be no match for Brown’s behemoth truck, which was a regular topic of conversation at the parade. (Orange, to his credit, had an aggressive signature-gathering operation.)

"This is the Washington, D.C., parade," said Patrick Mara, the school board candidate from Ward 1 who is better known for knocking off longtime At-Large Councilmember Carol Schwartz during the 2008 Republican primary, therefore depriving Palisades parade-goers of seeing Schwartz in her eye-popping yellow TransAm convertible. Even if Ward 3 voters—who form the core of the Palisades parade turnout—can't vote in your race, "you need to have a good showing here," said Mara, who had 20 supporters working the parade and post-parade party. "It says something about the strength of someone’s candidacy."

In that case, City Desk nominates the "Millwood Mob" for something, but we aren't sure what. Millwood Lane NW, a short street connecting Loughboro and Glenbrook roads, year after year fields a very organized showing at the parade, complete with its own queen. Imagine if the Millwood Mob would form its own political party! Watch out Mary Cheh!

Because of the hot weather, At-Large candidate Clark Ray, who was wearing a white sleeveless shirt, may have been the wisest person at the parade—though this writer’s recently deceased great aunt, a feisty, opinionated longtime Palisades resident, would have likely scoffed at any politician displaying bare shoulders.

But Team Ray was out in full force and was warmly received by the crowd, along with incumbent Phil Mendelson.

The one person who was missing was Don Peebles, the big-time developer and would-be mayoral candidate who kept political watchers on edge for months as he weighed a challenge to Fenty. (Through artfully crafted language, he decided not to run.) City Desk thinks Peebles should have teamed up with Matthew Lesko and his question-mark mobile—a perfect way to continue to toy with the populous!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT—"Would-Be Burglars Ruin Vincent Gray's Ice Cream Interview," "Council Showdown This Afternoon On Overhead Wires," "Is Metro Safer? Reporters disagree."

Morning All. Your fence jokes are welcome in the comments: Vincent Gray was the victim of an attempted burglary of his Hillcrest home yesterday, telling City Desk's Michael Grass that the would-be perps did not reach any valuables (like keepsakes from his time in Sharon Pratt's administration or first-edition tomes on government process): "They probably heard the alarm and I guess they took off. ... They never got in. I don't know who did this this, but I don't put aside any possibility to tell you the truth." First, thieves rob bikes from Mayor Fenty's home and now this. Leo Alexander should think about upgrading his home security system.

INSURANCE FUND PROBE: The Examiner's Bill Myers files another important story in the growing insurance-fund issue which is now being investigated by the F.B.I. and other lawmen. Myers reports that Fenty and Co. knew about the problems with the fund three years ago: "The Fenty administration was warned three years ago that there were problems in a city workers' compensation fund that is now the center of at least four investigations, The Washington Examiner has learned. Last week, Fenty and his attorney general, Peter Nickles, conceded that workers had been paying for insurance but the city's Office of Risk Management wasn't forwarding the money on to insurance companies. The pair asked Inspector General Charles Willoughby to investigate. Nickles and Fenty claimed at the news conference that they discovered the problem last month. 'So we started, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, since that point in late May to look into this matter,' Nickles said."

Nickles is either wrong or confused or lying. Myers reports: "In April 2007, Willoughby sent a report to Fenty and city leaders. He warned Fenty that Risk Management and its insurance contractor 'lacked procedures to account for claimant's health and/or life insurance benefits.' 'As a result,' Willoughby's report states, 'claimants had no assurance that their health and/or life insurance benefits were properly accounted for or whether their health and/or life insurance coverage was active or lapsed.' The findings were part of a larger probe that found Risk Management was 'at risk for significant fraud, waste and abuse.' Willoughby attributed the insurance problems 'to a lack of policies and effective procedures,' but his audit foreshadowed problems that are now the focus of investigations by the FBI, the D.C. auditor, the finance office's integrity unit and, once again, Willoughby's agency."

AFTER THE JUMP—MARC HELL, Fenty is tardy to Metro memorial ceremony, Health agency misconduct alleged, interesting stats on city employers, homeless now join a waiting list to get into family shelter, and much, much more!

MARC TRAIN HELL: Every Transpo agency wants in on investigating what the hell happened on Monday's MARC train that left 900 passengers hot, bothered, and stranded. WaPo's Katherine Shaver reports: "Ralign Wells, head of the Maryland Transit Administration, said the investigation will seek to determine why the electric locomotive broke down and why its brakes jammed, making it impossible for another locomotive to pull the train back to Union Station relatively quickly. Passengers, including some who reported trouble breathing, used emergency handles to remove the train's windows as outside temperatures hovered at 90 degrees and the train's air conditioning shut down. The Federal Railroad Administration will determine whether the train's crew properly carried out emergency preparedness plans required for passenger trains, spokesman Warren Flatau said. One of the agency's safety specialists happened to be commuting home on the stranded train, 'so we have some firsthand knowledge,' Flatau said. The Prince George's County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department began getting 911 calls from stranded passengers at 7:50 p.m., after train 538 on the Penn Line had come to a stop near New Carrollton at 6:23 p.m., officials said. About 10 people were treated at the scene for heat-related problems, including profuse sweating, nausea and dizziness, said fire department spokesman Mark Brady. Three of those passengers, including one having an asthma attack, were taken to a hospital, Brady said. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) called the incident on the state's commuter rail line 'utterly unacceptable.' MARC needs a better system for getting passengers off broken trains more quickly, O'Malley told reporters after an unrelated event in Baltimore." More coverage via NBC4, WTOP.

Meanwhile, the Examiner's Kytja Weir reports that MARC is trying to reach out to those 900 passengers who had the commute from hell: "Maryland Transit Administrator Ralign T. Wells said he planned to ride the 538 train to talk to its regular riders about what went wrong Monday evening. 'This circumstance was unacceptable, and on behalf of all MTA employees, I apologize for the inconvenience and discomfort you experienced,' Wells wrote in a message to riders."

MORE MARC TROUBLES: NC8 reports MARC suffered another breakdown yesterday due to the heat: "MARC 428 on the Penn Line was departing from Union Station around 4:15 p.m. when there was a problem with the locomotive. About a half an hour later, MARC sent out word that there was a power outage in Washington. The scorching heat has taken its toll on MARC trains and their riders this week. Passenger James Sims told us, 'Right now I'm not sure what the temperature is in here...well above a hundred.' For a second straight day, the transit system literally shutdown under the intense high temperatures. Hundreds of people were once again stranded and confused in the midst of the sweltering heat. 'It's probably 103 in here... I want to get home to my boys,' stated Elizabeth Garvey, a passenger. It's not confirmed, but Amtrak officials tell us it appears the unforgiving heat wave has overwhelmed the electrical traction system this week which supplies power to most Marc Trains."

METRO STILL HAS WORK TO DO: The families of the Metro crash victims marked the one-year anniversary of the tragedy yesterday. WaPo's Ann Scott Tyson reports from the scene that many of the families are disappointed in Metro's response in the crash's aftermath: "Metro 'has never acknowledged: 'We've made a mistake. We're sorry,' ' said Kenneth Hawkins, whose brother, Dennis Hawkins, was killed in the crash. Tawanda Brown, mother of LaVonda "Nikki" King, 23, who died in the crash, accused Metro of shirking its responsibility and failing to resolve the underlying technical issues that contributed to the accident. 'They are responsible for our loved one's death,' Brown said. 'But they aren't even answering the 100 problems identified by the NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board], and we're still getting on the trains.'...Last month, Metro filed a petition in U.S. District Court to dismiss a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit filed by most of the families against the transit agency. On Tuesday, attorneys for the families were in court filing opposition to the petition, Kenneth Hawkins said. Metro's legal stance 'makes this day of remembrance disingenuous to say the least,' Hawkins said. The petition 'demonstrates the cynicism and blatant contempt [Metro] has toward the victims, families, and justice.' The motion to dismiss was 'partial' and 'a routine step in such a lawsuit,' Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein wrote in an e-mail." More coverage via WUSA9, WTOP, NC8. Safety still remains a top concern among Metro riders, NC8 reports in a subsequent piece.

FENTY LATE TO METRO MEMORIAL: Doesn't this guy listen at all to his critics? WaPo's Mike DeBonis reports that the mayor was 45 minutes late to the memorial service, and quickly left after a plaque was unveiled honoring the crash victims: "The ceremony started at 10 a.m. According to Post reporters on the scene, a phalanx of elected officials — including Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) — were seated well before the start. Fenty arrived after 10:45, after almost all of the family members had already spoken. He delivered short remarks, sat down with the rest of the officials on the dais, then left after a memorial plaque was unveiled. He did not stay for the retiring of the colors by a Metro police honor guard." LL advises that you should read DeBonis' full post on this episode.

HOMELESS FAMILIES: There now appears to be a waiting list to get into D.C. General's emergency shelter.

HIRING MISCONDUCT IN D.C. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE FINANCE ALLEGED: WaPo's Tim Craig reports: "Candice Young, who worked as a human resources adviser for the agency from June 2008 until January, said she was forced to alter dozens of documents so that Director Julie Hudman could legally place friends and allies in top-level jobs within the agency. 'I had to lie,' said Young, who resigned in January. 'They said, 'I want this person,' and I would have to go change things, but eventually I said, 'I am not going to do this anymore.' Hudman, who took over the agency in October 2008 after working as an adviser to then-City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, countered in an e-mailed statement that Young's 'allegations are untrue and without merit.' 'Miss Young's claims were investigated by the District's Department of Human Resources Compliance and Investigations Unit and they did not substantiate any of these claims,' Hudman said in the e-mail. 'Although we cannot comment further on personnel matters, we will continue to comply with any additional investigations.' The allegations emerged as part of D.C. Council member Marion Barry's investigation into hiring practices at the agency, which was created in 2008 to oversee Medicaid and other government-sponsored health insurance programs. Barry (D-Ward 8), who sits on the Health Committee, is upset that, according to records obtained by him, only four of the top 20 jobs in the newly created agency are held by African Americans."

OPEN-SOURCE VOTING: BOEE will debut open-source, Internet voting for oversees residents.

FUN STATS: WBJ's Michael Neibauer digs into some awesome stats found in the District's 180-page Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: "All but three of the city's top 14 principal employers in 2008 were education- or health-related. Number one was Howard University, up from number four in 2000. The three non-health or education employers were Fannie Mae (standing firm at number six), The Washington Post Co. (dropping from 8th to 14th) and Admiral Security Services (up from 64th to 15th). The top 14 employed 7.4 percent of all D.C. workers. The number of volumes owned by the D.C. Public Library in 2009, 2.52 million, was its fewest since 2005 and second fewest in a decade. In 2007, the library held 3.03 million volumes — the only time it topped the 3 million mark."

VOUCHERS: WaPo editorial board continues its crusade in support of school voucher program.

NICKLES VS. NICKLES: The Examiner's Bill Myers points out a little irony regarding New Beginnings juvenile facility.

NO MORE SUGAR MILK: WaPo's Mike DeBonis amplifies an earlier story in which the District finally will halt serving students flavored-milk and sugary cereals. LL didn't even known there was a flavored milk option: "And this fall, further changes may be in order. DCPS spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway says the system's 'goal for this upcoming school year is to serve cereals with six grams of sugar or less. We will be taste testing low-sugar cereals, as well as other nutritious breakfast and lunch items, this summer to determine which breakfast options are both healthy and appetizing to serve to our students,' she writes in an e-mail. The changes are part of a first wave of reforms heralding a new awareness of the poor quality of school lunches here. Ed [Bruske], for one, has done yeoman's work via his 'Tales From a D.C. School Kitchen' series at The Slow Cook in showing just how lousy the food we give kids is. DCPS took a big step toward healthier lunches by hiring Jeff Mills, a ex-restaurant chef ex-restaurateur who has pledged to increase the quality of school meals. The heavy lifting is yet to come: It's one thing to take away patently unhealthy choices from schoolkids."

VA VS. WMATA: McDonnell stands by pledge to withhold funds if he doesn't get his way.

STREETCARS: NC8 covers the council debate on overhead wires.

NEW BEGINNINGS: Officials say the incident at the juvenile facility last weekend was not a riot.

JULY 4: Concert lineup includes Gladys Knight and some "American Idol" runner-up.

ROBERT WONE: An account of Day 20 in the conspiracy trial.

MAYOR'S SCHEDULE: No public events are planned.

D.C. COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE:

10 a.m. Committee of the Whole (Hearing)
Bill 18-612; Bill 18-700; Bill 18-719; Bill 18-805; Bill 18-808; Bill 18-811
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Room 500

1 p.m.
Committee on Housing and Workforce Development (Round Table)
The Workforce Investment Council and the District's One Stops
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Room 412

In another move to boost liquidity: Lawmakers will allow D.C. liquor stores to open for business on July 4, a Sunday, when such beloved neighborhood institutions are normally closed. Naturally, not everyone supports the holiday exemption to the rule. The Post quotes Councilmember Yvette Alexander griping, "the Jack Daniels and the firecrackers – that's not a good mix."

WTOP reports from the BP fill-up station at 7605 Georgia Avenue NW, where owner Shahzad Aslam claims to have lost 40 percent of gasoline sales since the oil spill fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico. "[Even though it's] a BP gas station, BP is not directly involved," Shahzad tells WTOP. Still, protesters have picketed his pumps, "apparently unaware their efforts were doing more damage to a local business owner and his employees than an international oil giant."

In other news: WUSA-TV reports that police have identified a fatal shooting victim found in Fort Dupont Park on June 9 as 43-year-old Don Diego Jones of Temple Hills, an opera singer with the National Orchestra. Police have also arrested a Southeast D.C. man in connection to a triple shooting in Shaw last week, according to the Post.

Expect afternoon thunderstorms in the "strong to severe" range, with the "main threats being damaging winds and perhaps large hail," say forecasters with WJLA-TV. Sunshine returns tomorrow.

Video by DCWASAPublicAffairs/YouTube

According to three sources familiar with the closed-door meeting to discuss the ramifications of Marion Barry's July 4 arrest, the councilmember apologized to his colleagues. He even made sure to apologize to Councilmember Jim Graham, who was late to the meeting.

One councilmember says that Barry confessed his love for the District and said that he was sorry that he hurt the council. "It really, really seemed heartfelt," the councilmember says. "His colleagues were pretty damn pissed off at him."

"He apologized to all the members," says another source. The source added that Barry almost cried during his mea culpa.

But Barry was clear about who he would not apologize to: the public.

At least one source did not walk away satisfied with the simple "I'm sorry." "What concerns me the most is the misuse of public funds," they told City Desk. "That's a crime. He got involved romantically and then hired them. It raises some very serious allegations... I hope that Marion appreciates that it's in his interest to [cooperate with the independent investigation]."

*Additional reporting by Mike DeBonis. Photo by Darrow Montgomery.

Donna Watts-Brighthaupt was presented with a sweet new deal from Councilmember Marion Barry just days before the July 4 incident. She rejected the offer, writing in an e-mail that she didn't want to sell her soul. We have the e-mails and the full narrative of her contract work.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.

Last night, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced that it would not pursue the stalking charge against Councilmember Marion Barry. The charge stems from a July 4 incident in which Barry allegedly sought out ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt in Anacostia Park. Watts-Brighthaupt was with her ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt at the time Barry was pulled over by U.S. Park Police.

Brighthaupt is disappointed that prosecutors dropped the stalking charge against the councilmember. "They could have taken it to court to hear all sides," he tells City Desk. "I don’t like to see anybody locked up, but I’d like to see justice pursued.”

Brighthaupt says that night Barry re-entered his ex-girlfriend's home and continued to wait around for a while. Watts-Brighthaupt's neighbors confirm his account.

Neighbors interviewed say that Barry sat on Watts-Brighthaupt's front porch for a half hour. "I think I did see him that night sitting there on the porch," recalls George Dempsey, 83. "Just sitting."

Another neighbor of Watts-Brighthaupt's, Delorus Brown, 31, says she watched Barry go into his ex-girlfriend's house. She estimates that Barry was in the house for no more than 10 minutes. He then sat on the porch for a half hour. She says she saw Barry talking on his cellphone.

Brown says she took her kids over to meet Barry. The councilmember waved them off at first. Brown says that she heard Barry on his cell say: "He's not in the house."

After the phone call, Barry shook the kids' hands. Brown says Barry eventually left Watts-Brighthaupts' house and stopped his car at the end of Ridge Place in front of a home for pregnant girls. The manager of that facility confirms that he talked to the girls there, asking them how they were going to spend their July 4 holiday.

Brown says Barry then circled back to Brighthaupt's house. Eventually, Barry made his way into Anacostia Park.

Brighthaupt insists Barry wasn't merely driving home. "It wasn't just a regular ride through the park," he says. "He jumped in front of our vehicle. The police stopped him because he was driving erratically. He cuts us off. He [then stopped] and then the police stopped him."

Donna Watts-Brighthaupt has her own response to the U.S. Attorney's Office decision. Barry addressed the dropped charge at a press conference today.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.

“I’m relieved it’s over," Watts-Brighthaupt says. "It’s a large price I’ve had to pay. I didn’t ask for this. I’ve learned such a large lesson in dealing with Marion. I’m not invincible. It’s unbelievable the type of person he is. But I wish him well. And I wish him good health. I’d really like him to do the best he can, do what he can for Ward 8 from this day forward.”

Do you think it’s possible he can be an effective councilmember? “No comment.”

Watts-Brighthaupt says that she had kept the recordings of Barry's declarations/pleas/long goodbyes not as payback. She says that he simply called so many times that she didn't even listen to them. She only started saving them in earnest after Barry began making trouble for her ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt.

"My heart is so heavy," she says. "I worry mainly that I've disappointed my mom, family, and people that I truly thought highly of."

She goes on to say: "I knew how he was. I mistakenly thought I was invincible or that I could take the Barry machine….I think it’s a joke – the Barry Machine. But it’s not something I thought I’d have to deal with publicly. These things went on for a year privately. It strengthened me. It helped me to know what the worst person could be…..I’m now prepared. I’m going to take this as a life lesson.”

Watts-Brighthaupt says that she has no plans to file a civil suit against Barry. "Why bother?" she explains. "He doesn't have any money."

What would you do if Barry called again? “I guess he’d have to leave another voice mail."

"I'm just listening," she said quietly.

She was dressed in jeans, a thin sweater, t-shirt, and dark glasses. In her left hand, she held a drink from McDonald's. In the other, she held a cellphone.

She had found the cameras and the reporters and the microphones in front of the Wilson Building, and felt she needed to take it all in. She stood off to the side, away from the lights, and watched the woman talking into all those microphones.

At a little past 11 p.m. yesterday night, Marion Barry's spokesperson Natalie Williams had assembled the media throng for a quickie press conference to address allegations concerning the councilmember giving lucrative contract work to ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt.The payments amounted to at least $20,000.

Williams began the presser with an attack on Watts-Brighthaupt. Reading from a typed script, she declared emphatically that the Barry Ex is "unstable" and had sought professional help at one point. This had nothing to do with the circumstances that led to the press conference—Barry's arrest for allegedly stalking Watts-Brighthaupt this past weekend. If she was so unstable, weren't these reasons enough not to hire her for those contract jobs?

Still, Williams kept on her talking point, repeating that word "unstable."

A few feet away, the girl stood still, trying to contain her anger and disappointment. She is 16. She mumbled that she is Watts-Brighthaupt's daughter.

"I'm trying to figure out why she's so unstable," she said of her mother, "when she's sending me off to college next year."

She said she's not surprised by Barry's wave of personal attacks against her mother. She explained: "He's Marion Barry."

There used to be a time not too long ago when Barry meant something important to her family. Although her mom broke things off with the councilmember shortly before his kidney-transplant surgery, she cared for him around-the-clock during his recuperation. "We cooked for him during his recovery," the daughter said. "Cooking and making sure he was comfortable. He had a team of people looking [after] him. Mom was part of the team."

After the press conference ended, she waited for her mom to pick her up. She said that she'll be graduating from high school in a year, that she hoped to attend Hampton University (where Effi Barry once taught). She said she wanted to major in political science.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery