Photo by bgolub on Flickr.

Should Montgomery pay for the Purple Line?

Maryland Republicans say Montgomery County should pay the cost of the Purple Line, saying they need roads in rural areas. Since Montgomery pays more in taxes than it receives, should rural counties pay the full cost of their roads, too? (Examiner)  

Hugo succeeds in hurting his neighbors

Tim Hugo, who is trying to punish Arlington for opposing HOT lanes, successfully killed the bill in the House to let Arlington keep charging a ¼% hotel tax and use the money to promote tourism. (Sun Gazette)  

Sarles won’t end bag searches

Richard Sarles apparently has no interest in listening to riders or about civil liberties: He told WTOP that he’s not going to end the bag search program. (Examiner)  

Utility companies under fire

While thousands in the region are still without power, Pepco CEO Joseph Rigby skipped a Montgomery County Council committee hearing. (WTOP) … Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen sent Pepco an angry letter calling its handling of recent outages “abysmal.” (WUSA) … The DC Council wants to require utility companies to foot hotel bills of any customer for whom they can’t restore power within 24 hours. (WTOP)  

MoCo commission calls for major reforms

Montgomery County’s Organizational Reform Commission recommended a set of sweeping reforms to the County Council. Many reforms call for structural consolidation and reorganization, like merging the Park and County Police. Others are procedural, such as IT coordination. (WAMU)  

Arlington debuts new bike map

The new bike map from Arlington has a simplified legend, and includes Bikeshare stations and some of central DC’s infrastructure, too. Too bad they couldn’t wait until the next round of CaBi goes into the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor this spring! (BikeArlington)  

DC area sites get preservation grants

The National Park Service awarded $14.3 million in historic preservation grants yesterday, including $700,000 for National Cathedral. Awards also went to Robert E. Lee’s home in Arlington Cemetery and a segregation-era railroad car for the African American History Museum. (WUSA, Art Daily)  

Pizza everywhere, almost

New pizzerias are coming to 6th and F, 16th and K, and 17th and Church, not to mention lots outside DC. David Garber wishes some of these would pick addresses that don’t end with “NW.” (WBJ, Borderstan via Lydia DePillis)  

And…

The Metropolitan Washington COG is looking for representatives from businesses and community organizations to serve on the Region Forward Coalition. (Region Forward) … Wizards Rookie John Wall drives to work, despite living blocks from the Verizon Center. (Post) … Police have identified the driver of a snowplow who struck and killed a pedestrian walking in the street because the sidewalk was uncleared. (TBD)