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: Is Ward 8 taking on more than its fair share of social housing? So Others Might Eat (SOME), a D.C. nonprofit group, bought a rundown residential property about a year ago on Mellon Street in southeast with the intention of turning the space into long-term housing for adults with special needs. The complex will offer on-site support for residents who have proven six-month recovery in issues ranging from substance abuse to credit problems. But the neighbors fear Ward 8 has become a nonprofit “dumping ground,” and think the new residents will contribute to the area’s problems. The twist is a 3.4 billion dollar Homeland Security Campus slated to open across the street in 2013. Could the property be put to better use?

Fire Sale: SOME says they have opened same-model housing in wards all over the city, including Logan Circle and Capitol Hill, and in the past the housing has raised property values. Richard Gerlach, Executive Director of SOME, told City Desk, “That property was on the market for a long, long time, so to say it’s a golden opportunity is just not true. The buildings we take over are a blight…we fix them up and they become a positive influence that promote growth.”  He also stressed that the housing is independent and non-transitional.

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Ward 8 Property, Fire Sale or Golden Opportunity?" »

I guess I didn't get the memo.

Apparently, this is not the time to ask Councilmember Marion Barry or his staff about Sharon Bowen. Barry paid Bowen $50,000 to work on poverty issues in 2007 and 2008. Bowen was another Barry girlfriend.

Why not today? HBO is premiering a documentary on Barry's life. It's either that or he's dead. When asked about Bowen's supposed organizing of a poverty summit, Barry's spokesperson Natalie Williams made it clear that the press should be focusing on more important things---like legacies.

Read More "Today Is Not The Day To Talk About Barry’s Fishy Contracts" »

The Washington Post has uncovered more of the twists and turns from the love-hate triangle between Councilmember Marion Barry, his ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, and her ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt. The newspaper has obtained e-mails from Barry and his staff that were critical of Watts-Brighthaupt's contract work. The Post writes:

"Barry's complaints included Watts-Brighthaupt's spelling, grammar, tendency to fall behind schedule and failure to be available during business hours. The e-mails appear to confirm that Barry and Watts-Brighthaupt traveled together to Las Vegas and Memphis. Though the city paid for Barry's airfare, the government did not foot the bill for Watts-Brighthaupt, and did not pay for a $736 spa visit at the Paris hotel during their May trip to Las Vegas, travel records show."

In early January, Delonta Brighthaupt stepped into the contract issue with Barry.

Read More "Barry, Staff Critical of Ex-Girlfriend’s Work" »

Yesterday, news broke that Federal lawmen are looking into the allegations surrounding Councilmember Marion Barry's contracts with former girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt as well as his guardianship over half a dozen nonprofits. While two of his associates---Brenda Richardson and Jackie Ward---have referred comment to their attorneys, we expected Barry to do something more media friendly.

In the aftermath of his stalking arrest, Barry's staff held press conference after press conference. They used the free media to bash the park police and declare Watts-Brighthaupt as unstable. [Watts-Brighthaupt denies the charge and even showed up at one press conference to shout down Barry spokesperson Natalie Williams].

So it would be reasonable to expect some kind of comment from Barry or his staff. Maybe even a late-night press conference perfectly timed for the 11 o'clock news.

Read More "Barry Camp Silent On Federal Probe" »

So Marion Barry funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to not-quite-organized non-profits. All the nonprofits were founded in his ward. Most of them operate out of his constituent services office on MLK Avenue. In this week's LL column, we probe further into how these non-profits came to exist.

Guess what? All the major players staffing the boards of these non-profits worked for Barry's re-election campaign last year either as paid staffers or volunteers. Clink on the link above to read the full column.

On June 30, Councilmember Marion Barry used his office to bounce his on-again-off-again girlfriend's ex-husband from the Wilson Building. At the time, he claimed that Delonta Brighthaupt had threatened him on the phone and in person.

Barry never got into detail with council staff. But it was enough for Brighthaupt to get barred that night from a Wilson Building event. At 10:30 that night, Barry left a voicemail on his ex-girlfriend's cellphone apologizing for his actions. He goes on to state that Delonta Brighthaupt was now free to go anywhere he wants.

This wasn't the end to this love-hate triangle between Barry, Donna Watts-Brighthaupt and Delonta Brighthaupt which we detail in this week's cover. On July 1, Barry wrote a letter to Donna apologizing further. Barry's staff provided the letter to Washington City Paper this week.

In the letter, Barry writes: "In an effort to resolve this situation in an amicable manner, I sincerely apologize to you, Brew and to Mr. Brighthaupt."

Full letter after the jump.

Read More "Marion Barry Apologized For Wilson Building Incident" »

You can call Councilmember Marion Barry a lot of things:  Civil Rights Leader, Mayor-for-Life, Addict, Male Slut. You can now add Incurable Optimist to the list. In his rocky relationship with Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, he endured one rejection after another. And the man kept coming back.

A Hotel spat in Denver where he threw her out of his room for refusing to give him a blowjob. A fight in Las Vegas. Pleadings over e-mail that involved a high-ranking staffer and public money.  Now we know there were plenty of intense moments closer to home between Barry, Donna, and Donna's ex-husband Delonta Brighthaupt.

In this week's cover, we detail the love triangle and pay particular attention to the councilmember using his office and authority in an attempt to get Delonta out of the picture.

Barry's move backfired. Within a few days, he would be arrested on stalking charges. The charges were later dismissed. But the police report surely shows a man in hot pursuit.

We'll post the police report tomorrow.

A few hours ago, The Washington Post finally got around to addressing the latest matters concerning Councilmember Marion Barry's questionable use of contracts. Barry's camp has repeatedly stated that the hiring of his girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt was not illegal. This time, the Post gets Barry to brag that he'd do it all over again. Or do it all again with the next love interest. The Post writes:

"You all think it is inappropriate to hire a girlfriend. I don't think it is. In fact, there is no law against it," Barry told The Washington Post. When asked whether he would hire another woman he becomes romantically involved with, Barry said, "Unless the law changes, why not?

Maybe he wouldn't have done all of it over again, particularly the Denver hotel room drama. Maybe he wouldn't even have his camp constantly text and call Watts-Brighthaupt throughout this ordeal in an attempt to get her to recant or who knows what. Watts-Brighthaupt was never sure what his people wanted from her post-July 4. Maybe he wouldn't have insisted on labeling her "unstable" and giving her some kind of disorder.

Read More "Barry To Post: Nothing Illegal About Hiring Girlfriends" »

This afternoon, LL and other reporters hoping to follow his Friday scoop showed up to a Wilson Building hearing room to hear testimony on grants earmarked last year by Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry.

We were all disappointed.

At-Large Councilmember David A. Catania, who called the hearing to examine the role of "fiscal agents" in administering Department of Health grants, read an opening statement then announced he was recessing the hearing.

Read More "Catania Abruptly Cancels Hearing on Barry Earmarks" »

Washington City Paper is reporting tonight that Councilmember Marion Barry has funneled nearly $1 million dollars in city funds to six nonprofits under the apparent control of his own staff. Barry first secured funding for the groups in June 2008. But here's the catch: This was months before the groups existed, city records show.

Furthermore, incorporation documents appear to be marred by highly irregular representations. Two supposed incorporators of multiple organizations say their signatures were forged onto the papers, and one alleged director is a person who doesn't exist. And the documents were drawn up by paid Barry staffers and notarized by a close political ally of Barry. A Barry associate closely oversees the operations of all the groups.

These actions are entirely unconnected to Barry's contractual dealings with former girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt but raise similar questions about his use of public funds.

Read the entire story on Barry's financial dealings, and his staff's involvement.

Photo By Darrow Montgomery

Councilmember David Catania just released this statement to the press on the Barry saga:

"The Council met this afternoon to discuss how to proceed in the wake of the latest allegations of impropriety on the part of Mr. Barry.  We did not discuss the possibility of censure or other sanctions at this time, not because those actions are off-the-table but because the time for that discussion will occur after we are able to review the results of Mr. Bennett's investigation.  I do think, however, that enough information is known today to conclude that Mr. Barry owes the residents and taxpayers of the District of Columbia a public apology.  His refusal to do so continues a longstanding pattern of Councilmember Barry refusing to take personal responsibility for his actions.

I left today’s press conference because to have stayed may have given the false impression that Councilmembers, including myself, are rallying to Mr. Barry’s side or condoning his actions. This is not the case."

This is the strongest statement so far from a D.C. Councilmember concerning their colleague.

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.”

Read More "Delonta Brighthaupt Responds To Barry Stalking Charge Being Dismissed" »

"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.

Read More "Barry Press Conference: Political Science 101 For Ex-Girlfriend’s Daughter" »