Holiday links: For the fourth

How to get around

Metro will run extra trains, many roads downtown will be closed, and Capital Bikeshare will run a bike corral on the Mall for tonight’s fireworks. (NBC)

Non-profit drives drinkers home

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program will be offering free rides to Fourth of July partiers who are not fit to drive. The program has averaged 250 participants in its eight years of existence. (Examiner)

Safety rules a waste?

The federal transportation bill includes new safety rules for transit agencies, but are they unnecessary and ultimately a burdensome mandate on agencies besides WMATA which don’t have safety problems right now? (Second Ave Sagas)

WCP gets bought

Nashville-based alternative weekly publisher SouthComm has bought the Washington City Paper and Creative Loafing Atlanta. SouthComm has 20 other publications, mainly across the southern US. (City Paper)

Charles County adopts traffic cameras

This weekend, Charles County is joining the list of area jurisdictions with automated traffic enforcement. The county will create traffic cameras in 9 school zones. (Examiner)

Rents in NoMa, Capitol Riverfront rise the most

The Capitol Riverfront and NoMa have the most rapidly increasing rents in the District. Rents in both areas have risen at least 9 percent over the past year, above the DC average of 6.8. (Examiner)

Only some city brands stick

In the history of city branding, there have been some failures, like Chicago, and some successes, like Indianapolis. Success seems to come with apparent authenticity and avoiding a generic-seeming brand. (Salon)

NPS will soon change vending contract

The National Park Service is not renewing its omnibus contract with Guest Services Incorporated. The contract gives GSI the right of first refusal for most concessions in the area’s federal parks, and is the reason there is no food to buy in Franklin Square, for example. (City Paper)

Don’t assault anyone

An SUV driver was convicted of assault after he deliberately hit a cyclist with his car, then had a fight, then got out of the car and threw the cyclist’s own bike at him. (DCist) … But would he have been convicted if he had just hit the cyclist intentionally in the first place but not continued in a way witnesses could see?

And…

As of Tuesday morning, 200,000 DC area residences were still without power. (Examiner) … Montgomery will integrate bike infrastructure with the Purple Line in Long Branch. (WashCycle) … Arlington libraries return to Tuesdays. (ARLnow) … National construction expenditures rise at the highest rate in 5 months. (HousingWire)