All Opinions Are Local

My walkable living story

Dan Malouff — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:21:00 GMT

Almost four in 10 D.C. households are car-free, and even more are car-light. That’s not because D.C. is full of car-hating zealots; it’s because life is simply more convenient that way, when the conditions are right.

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A Va. judge’s transportation roadblock

Peter Galuszka — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:52:00 GMT

For four decades, James A. “Jac” Cales Jr. was a fixture on the judicial halls of Hampton Roads, albeit not one to take himself too seriously.

As Portsmouth commonwealth’s attorney for a decade in the 1970s, he would lean back in his chair, his hands folded over his stomach and nod vigorously when a defendant in a drug case admitted something incriminating. He later served for three decades as a General District and Circuit Court judge, retiring officially in December.

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Georgetown real estate prices on the upswing

Topher Mathews — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:33:00 GMT

It’s been a while since I did any deep analysis of Georgetown’s real estate market. But I’ve been noticing the prices getting a little out of control recently, so I decided to see whether the stats backed up that observation. And they certainly do.

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Theaters can’t find homes? Fix the zoning

David Alpert — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:41:00 GMT

Smaller theaters that don’t own buildings of their own are having trouble finding places to rent. Can D.C.’s zoning update help fix this?

Nelson Pressley writes in The Post about numerous theater troupes that have outgrown their existing spaces or are losing their spaces. With heavy demand for office and residential space in D.C., there aren’t a lot of affordable places to rent that can fit the performing arts.

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What is WMATA’s long-range financial plan?

David Alpert — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:48:00 GMT

The Post, several bloggers, and many Metro riders have been hammering the Washington Metropolitcan Area Transit Authority recently for being so opaque about its timetable for Metro Forward repairs. Besides leveling with riders about how long repairs are going to take, WMATA could build confidence by also being more forthcoming about how much money it will need in the long run.

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Live like a governor for $14,000 a month

Topher Mathews — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:32:00 GMT

As I wrote a couple months ago, two of the massive Cooke’s Row houses on Q St. just west of 30th are for sale. That includes the home at 3023 Q St. that was the residence of Henry Cooke himself, the first governor of D.C.

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Va. Democrats on the right side of the wedge

Peter Galuszka — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:14:00 GMT

Setting up a nice counterpoint to the Republican Party’s strident assault on women’s issues and other social matters, Ralph S. Northam, one of two good options, was selected as lieutenant governor candidate for the Democratic Party in Tuesday’s primary. Winning the attorney general nomination was Mark R. Herring.

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When will Metro service be good again?

Dan Malouff — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:11:00 GMT

Unlike its off-peak trains, Metrorail’s rebuilding program is moving full-steam ahead. When will it actually be done?

After years of deferred maintenance, WMATA is neck deep in major track work every weekend. The work is clearly necessary for Metrorail’s long-term viability, but it’s awful for riders now.

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Questions for Primary Day in Va.

Norman Leahy — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:30:00 GMT

The polls are open across Virginia. Yes, they are. Democrats will select their lieutenant governor and attorney general nominees. A handful of House contests are on the radar, too, including the bruising contests for the open 85th District seat and the Joe May-Dave LaRock battle in the 33rd

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Fishing for Cuccinelli-Jackson text messages

Norman Leahy — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:00:00 GMT

This looks like a job for Texts From E.W. Jackson. Because Jackson mentioned that he talks with, and sends text messages to, Ken Cuccinelli seeking advice and guidance on statewide campaigning, the liberal group American Bridge has decided it needs to have a look at those messages. Why? To make sure Cuccinelli wasn’t using his government phone for any of these messages:

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Decoupling growth and parking angst

David Alpert — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:45:00 GMT

Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) re-introduced legislation this week to let a developer of a new building promise that tenants would not be able to get stickers to park on neighborhood streets. Would this alleviate the parking angst that erupts over nearly every development project, such as ongoing controversies in Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant?

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Is the Mall an urban room or a sculpture garden?

Dan Malouff — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:35:00 GMT

D.C.’s art community was chagrined to see the Hirshhorn cancel plans to build an inflatable “bubble.” This is a good time to ask, “what now?” The bubble would have been a striking sculptural statement, but is that what the National Mall should be?

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McAuliffe steps up his e-mail game

Norman Leahy — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:22:00 GMT

The Obama campaign used the ancient direct mail technique of the sweepstakes to great effect in 2012. It was good for fundraising, great for list maintenance (and growth) and helped create buzz. Now comes the McAuliffe campaign, using the same angle, and with a solid grand prize:

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Bob Marshall sounds alarm over Smithfield

Peter Galuszka — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:34:00 GMT

Free-trade capitalists may cheer the proposed $4.7 billion takeover of Virginia icon Smithfield Foods by a Chinese firm, but there is plenty to give pause.

The major issue is whether one should want Chinese-style management in charge of U.S. corporations, given their record on safety.

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Virginia’s disclosure fig leaf

Peter Galuszka — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:30:00 GMT

When it comes to what is wrong with government accountability in Virginia, a luncheon scene last week said it all.

At tables in a banquet hall at the downtown Richmond Marriott sat scores of lobbyists, lawyers, politicians and corporate executives.

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Langley Park transit center finally moving forward

Dan Malouff — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:57:00 GMT

Maryland has awarded a construction contract for the Langley Park transit center.

Langley Park is currently the busiest bus transfer location in the region that isn’t connected to a Metro station. But it’s a mess. Bus stops are spread all around the busy crossroads of New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard. Transit users hoping to transfer have to cross up to 14 lanes of traffic, and have to memorize which curbside bus stops their route uses. It’s a complicated and dangerous situation.

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Virginia’s unpopularity contest

Norman Leahy — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:21:00 GMT

What if they held an election and nobody cared? That’s one way to read the latest PPP poll on the Virginia gubernatorial race. While Terry McAuliffe may hold a five-point edge over Ken Cuccinelli (outside the 3.8 percent margin of error), what PPP’s numbers show is that both men aren’t going to win Mr. Popularity contests any time soon:

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Cuccinelli the new Reagan?

Norman Leahy — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:47:00 GMT

That’s Peter Ferrara’s contention in this American Spectator piece. One of the less purple-prosed sections reads like this:

In his convention acceptance speech, Cuccinelli sounded the same themes as Reagan did. He emphasized as top priorities, “A stronger middle class, fueled by better paying jobs, more opportunity, and a more competitive economic environment that encourages our businesses to invest and grow,” and “A stronger economy that can produce new jobs for the thousands who are currently out of work,” and “The first step in fighting for the people of Virginia is to grow our economy, create new jobs, and protect the ones we already have.”

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John Warner’s golden silence

Norman Leahy — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

The Republican splits, real, imagined and otherwise, over the current statewide ticket and, specifically, E.W. Jackson’s place on it, are the new campaign narrative. It’s not driven entirely by the press, though it is one they are eager to explore. Rather, the doubts advanced by Republicans themselves, as we see in [a Richmond Times-Dispatch] piece in which a cast of characters is given an opportunity to opine on the ticket. The story’s headline refers to former Sen. John Warner’s broodings. And while they are limited, they also pack a wallop:

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No rush on offshore drilling in Virginia

Peter Galuszka — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:52:00 GMT

Terry McAuliffe’s flip-flop on opposing offshore oil drilling in Virginia is unsettling given that the last time the Democrat ran for governor in 2009, he seemed skeptical of drilling for oil, although he thought searching for natural gas might be beneficial.

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In Va., the gifts scandal keeps on giving

Peter Galuszka — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:59:00 GMT

Like any good soap opera, Virginia’s Giftgate scandal only grows more interesting as time goes on.

The latest twist is that in early November, Attorney General Kenneth N. Cuccinelli II apparently sent a letter to Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring asking him to investigate whether Gov. Robert F. McDonnell violated state gift and disclosure laws.

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The D.C. Council’s gas-tax surprise

David Alpert — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:13:00 GMT

Virginia and Maryland changed their gas taxes this year. Both proposals included weeks or months of debate, including public hearings before the legislature. The District made a similar change yesterday. The total time from the first news story about it to final vote? Less than a day.

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The D.C. Council’s gas-tax surprise

David Alpert — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:13:00 GMT

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Pluses and minuses of D.C. public land deals

David Alpert — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:48:00 GMT

The District routinely bids public land out to private companies. Instead of money, the city demands amenities such as affordable housing, workforce development or a library. Sometimes, these deals work well. Sometimes, they’re just a bad deal, or developers renege on promises.

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Pluses and minuses of D.C. public land deals

David Alpert — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:48:00 GMT

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