Yesterday, Southland Concrete workers rallied outside the United Forensics Laboratory construction site–complete with bullhorn-wielding councilmember Phil Mendelson!–in the first high-profile protest of the company's treatment of workers. Tomorrow, the Reverend Al Sharpton will give a speech at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial site to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the civil rights leader's "I [...]

Former D.C. Parks and Recreation director Clark Ray has been running a balls-out campaign for the city council at-large seat held by snoozy Phil Mendelson, and yesterday released a sharply negative ad that hits Mendelson on his smart growth credentials. Ray boils smart growth down to two things: Streetcars, and vibrant neighborhoods, highlighting Mendelson's opposition [...]

The Washington D.C. Association of REALTORs–yes, they capitalize the term–just announced their endorsement of Council Chairman Vince Gray for Mayor and Councilmember Kwame Brown for Chairman. The organization also backed incumbent Councilmembers Phil Mendelson, David Catania, Tommy Wells, and Harry Thomas.
The release reads: "WDCAR PAC endorsed after face-to-face interviews with candidates, a review of candidate's [...]

Over the three decades Brookland Hardware has operated on the corner of 12th and Monroe streets NE, it seems to have nested in place. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are densely hung with every kind of fastener, cleaning agent, and kitchen implement a home improver might desire. Narrow aisles are further crowded by power tools to rent, which [...]

Call them prescient: A week after the news breaks that Wal-Mart has finally found a viable place to locate in the District, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union has a poll out with evidence that D.C. residents support making big box stores pay a living wage and hire from local communities.
The idea failed in [...]

A few weeks ago, several dozen Woodley Park residents sicced Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh on the subdivision of a corner lot on Garfield Street NW, where the Zuckerman Partners were planning to build two gigantic houses on spec. Since then, they’ve gotten the support of five more councilmembers, who all signed a letter asking [...]

In its legislative meeting just now, the D.C. City Council voted to put off its decision on the confirmation of developer Stanley Wall to chair the Zoning Commission. A couple weeks ago, Councilman Phil Mendelson raised objections to the nomination of Wall, who would replace esteemed civic figure Anthony Hood, and reiterated them today.
"There is [...]

Council Chair Vincent Gray, and Council Members Mendelson and Evans
It doesn't look like the Catholic Archdiocese is going to be winning this battle.
Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the Catholic Archdiocese had issued an ultimatum to the D.C. Council:  If you require us to extend same-sex marriage benefits to gay couples, we'll stop running city-contracted [...]

Well this is kind of bizarre.
Just as the DC Council approves a budget increasing the sales tax, the gas tax and the cigarette and small cigar tax, it is decreasing a tax on vacant properties from $10 to $5 per $100 of assessed value, the Washington Examiner reports.