D.C. Wire

Fenty snow briefings move around D.C., shutting out some media

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:30:40 -0500

During an emergency, government leaders often huddle at the emergency command center, which can serve not as only the nerve center for government but also a one-stop shop to get information out to the public through the media. Over the weekend, for example, Maryland Gov. Martin J. O'Malley (D) was often seen giving live updates on the local news from the State Highway Administration operations center in Hanover. The District also has a snow command center at the Reeves Center on U Street. But when it comes to updating the media, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) has opted to hold hastily scheduled news conferences throughout the city. Fenty's decision to move his snow updates from ward to ward, neighborhood to neighborhood, fits in with his campaign promise of being a visible mayor. It also makes for campaign photos. But the tactic made it nearly impossible for many journalists -

D.C. to reinstate snow emergency at 4 p.m.

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:59:23 -0500

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced Tuesday that he will reinstate the snow emergency at 4 p.m. to clear major roadways in anticipation of the approaching storm. Fenty (D) had lifted the snow emergency Monday, but he said emergency routes will once again need to be cleared by rush hour. Vehicles parked on those routes will be towed. Fenty updated the city's snow removal efforts at a news conference shown live by NewsChannel 8. Gabe Klein, director of the District Department of Transportation, and Bill Howland, director of the Department of Public Works, outlined new strategies to removing the snow that remains on side streets and fighting the next storm. Klein partially blamed poorly parked vehicles for delayed removal of the snow. He said smaller equipment would be enlisted to get around those vehicles. He said it was important to dig residents out since they would need to shop for more

How have the mayor and council handled the snowstorm?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:50:00 -0500

Send your thoughts and photos to Post reporter Sandhya Somashekhar or post them in the comments below. For reference, here's what we wrote over the weekend: Feb. 5: D.C. government closing at 2 p.m. for storm; residents must move cars off snow routes Feb. 5: Fenty: Stay off the city streets tonight Feb 7: D.C. Council member: City offices should close Monday Feb. 7 Big changes to D.C. trash collection because of snow And don't forget that there's more snow on the way this week.

Big changes to D.C. trash collection because of snow

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:15:36 -0500

Because of the snow storm, the District Department of Public Works will only collect trash in the front of homes and businesses, and recycling collection will be suspended the rest of the week. Residents are asked to place garbage in dark-colored plastic bags and to put them out as close to the time of collection as possible. DPW recommends placing bleach in the trash to repel rodents. Here are some other changes, according to a news release from DPW: "Ft. Totten Transfer Station Closed to the Public: Ft. Totten also will be closed to the public on Monday, February 8. No Bulk Collections Monday, February 8: DPW bulk collection drivers still will be on duty clearing the streets of snow. Street Litter Can Collections Suspended: Litter can collections are suspended February 4 through February 9. Collections are expected to resume Wednesday, February 10. " -- Nikita Stewart

D.C. Council member: City offices should close Monday

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:44:34 -0500

Council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large) said he will close his office Monday to give his employees time to dig out of their homes and called on Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) to do the same for the entire government. In a news release Sunday, Brown said the city has been overwhelmed by the snowfall. Fenty, applauded for leading his administration through an effective snow removal during the last storm, has not announced the plan for government offices yet. But his administration, including D.C. Public Schools, has become known for remaining open while other jurisdictions shut down their governments and schools. "I have received updates from all over the city of residents that have just begun to dig themselves out from the Blizzard of 2010," Brown said in a statement. "I have also received reports that most of the city's sidewalks are impassable, forcing many residents to venture out

Fenty: Stay off the city streets tonight

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:23:27 -0500

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) is urging motorists and pedestrians to stay off city streets tonight because snowfall rates could exceed 3 inches an hour. At an 11 a.m. storm briefing in Logan Circle, Fenty noted the city could approach its all-time record snowfall of 28 inches, recorded in 1922. "We are going to be right up against the most snow this city has ever seen," said Fenty, citing forecasts of 16 to 24 inches. Gabe Klein, the director of the Department of Transportation, said there could be near whiteout conditions overnight.

D.C. government closing at 2 p.m. for storm; residents must move cars off snow routes

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:28:06 -0500

Because of the impending Snowmageddon, the D.C. government will close at 2 p.m. Friday, and all government agencies will be closed Saturday. Essential personnel still will have to report. All Department of Parks and Recreation centers and programs also will stop at 2 p.m. and remain closed through at least Saturday. The District also has implemented its snow emergency plan, meaning all cars must be moved from marked snow emergency routes. The parking restrictions are expected to remain in place through the weekend. -- Tim Craig

Elections and Ethics board rules against referendum on same-sex marriage ... again

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:21:19 -0500

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics ruled Thursday, for the third time this year, that a proposed referendum on whether the city should legalize same-sex marriage cannot move forward. The board said that city law does not allow a referendum or initiative on a matter covered by the Human Rights Act, which was designed to protect gay men and lesbians and other minorities from discrimination. The decision is another setback for opponents of same-sex marriage. Last month, the Superior Court judge upheld a previous elections board ruling denying a public vote. But opponents are appealing the decision. The same-sex marriage bill, which Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) signed in December, is slated to take effect next month if it survives a congressional review. -- Tim Craig

Fenty seeks to modernize D.C. purchasing rules

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:47:14 -0500

It's certainly not as sexy as subpoenas, but how the District spends its money on goods and services is something all taxpayers should care about. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) held court this morning in the lobby of the hulking One Judiciary Square building to announce a complete rewrite of the city's rules for determining what the government buys, from whom and at what price. David Gragan, the city's procurement chief, has spent more than a year trying to modernize and streamline the 35-year-old law to make it more transparent and flexible. The legislation, which will be submitted to the D.C. Council, generally tries to speed up the process and includes the promotion of environmentally friendly goods and more training for city workers. "It's my job to demand that we move as fast as humanly possible and that we do it in an open and transparent process," said Fenty, who

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Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:47:14 -0500

Mayor Fenty on Post poll: 'I haven't had a chance to read it'

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:08:29 -0500

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said Thursday that he still has not read The Washington Post poll published Sunday. The poll shows a dramatic slide in his popularity in the past two years, notably among African Americans. During his weekly appearance on NBC4's "Connecting with the Mayor" segment in the morning, Fenty deflected reporter Joe Krebs questions about the poll. "I think you're referring to The Washington Post poll," Fenty said after Krebs quoted the poll's findings. "I haven't had a chance to read it. I will...This week has been busy with the snow and everything else. I just haven't gotten to it." Krebs asked what Fenty's reaction would be once he read it and saw the "turnaround." Fenty said he does not wait for polls to test public sentiment. He said he "tries to stay engaged with residents" and is out talking to them every day. -- Nikita Stewart

Utah senator tries to block D.C. same-sex marriage

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:05:32 -0500

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) has introduced legislation that would require the District to put same-sex marriage on the ballot before issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as planned next month. The proposed District of Columbia Referendum on Marriage Act, similar to legislation already introduced in the House by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), would halt the implementation of the new city law. The D.C. Council approved the legalization of same-sex unions in December, and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) signed the bill into law. Under Home Rule, there is a 30-day congressional review period. Without congressional intervention, the law will go into effect next month. Opponents of same-sex marriage have tried several legal avenues to block the law. But the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics has rejected the putting the issue on the ballot because it would violate District human rights law, and a judge has upheld the decision. A

Council targets Fenty's pal Skinner in parks probe

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:37:18 -0500

The Council made it crystal clear today that they do not take kindly to those who "thumb their noses" at the government. In this case, the absence of one of their star witnesses -- Sinclair Skinner -- in the ongoing probe into the mayor's parks and recreation contracts. The council had subpoenaed Skinner, Fenty's friend and former paid campaign worker, who was a subcontractor on the project. But Skinner did not show up. So council members backed a resolution today to seek help from the courts to compel Skinner to testify, and said they would also try to have him banned from doing business with the city until he does. Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) suggested that Skinner is "quite cozy" with people in the mayor's office, "yet when it comes time to answer to the public about his behavior, he thumbs his nose at the council. ...

Jim Graham leads in fundraising among D.C. council members

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:00:34 -0500

Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) leads the way in fundraising among the D.C. Council members who are up for reelection this year. Graham, who is seeking a fourth term, raised $171,391 from Oct. 1 through Jan. 31. Graham, who has been battered by a wave of bad news in the past year as he chaired the Metro board and weathered the arrest of his top aide, spent $8,000. He has $162,000, the highest total of any sitting council member up for reelection, excluding Council Chairman Vincent Gray. All council members who are declared candidates have filed their quarterly campaign finance reports with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics that have been uploaded onto the board's website. Gray (D) is up for re-election, but has not yet declared his candidacy. Among ward council members, Tommy Wells (D-6) has the second highest cash-on-hand tally behind Graham. Wells, who is seeking

Coming soon, to a theater near you: Fenty, the $3.6 million man

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:49:29 -0500

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has fortified his re-election war chest considerably, posting nearly $3.6 million in his latest campaign finance filing. And he did it with a little help from Hollywood. With eight months to go before the Democratic primary, the mayor is rapidly approaching the $3.8 million he raised for his 2006 campaign, including the general election. Fenty collected more than $818,000 in contributions from August 1 through Monday. Despite sagging poll numbers, he so far faces no high-profile challengers. The mayor had an unusual number of contributions from the Los Angeles entertainment industry. D.C. Wire will post a total later, but easily-spotted contributions came from James Lassiter, actor Will Smith's longtime partner at Overbrook Entertainment; and company president Miguel Melendez. Meanwhile, "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams and wife Katie McGrath shelled out $1,000 each. Will Smith play Fenty on the big screen someday? Or could Fenty get "Lost?" --

D.C. "Most Democratic Spot in Nation"

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:32:03 -0500

Washington Post Polling Analyst Jennifer Agiesta posted the following entry on DC Wire's sister blog, Behind the Numbers. If you didn't catch it, you can read it below. It shows that President Obama remains wildly popular in the District, a city he carried with 93 percent of the vote in 2008. Friendly new home turf for Obama in D.C. A new Washington Post poll finds strong approval ratings for President Obama among Washington, D.C. residents, with nearly nine in 10 Washingtonians saying they approve of the way Obama is handing his job one year after he and his family took up residence at the most famous address in the District. Six in 10 strongly approve. The new data dovetail with a fresh analysis from Gallup showing the District ranking as the most Democratic spot in the nation. Obama's overall rating in D.C. far outpaces his 53 percent mark nationally in