Breakfast links: Win some, lose some

Why, WMATA?

A slew of inquiries into WMATA’s finance problems will pour in this summer. Among other things, WMATA is living paycheck to paycheck since the Federal Transit Administration must review all grant money that comes in. (Post)

Alexandria votes

Views on development, especially its pace, are among the places where Alexandria’s mayoral primary candidates differ. Alexandria hasn’t had a contested mayoral primary in 12 years, but this year three candidates are in the mix. (Post)

From the ashes

A Dupont church that wants to build a new church and condos has preliminary historic approval. Part of the church burned years ago. Neighbors and the church still disagree over how tall the building should be. (UrbanTurf)

Affordable housing wreaks no havoc

Homeowners often oppose affordable housing going up nearby. Inclusionary zoning pushes neighborhoods to have a mixture of housing types. Once built, affordable housing rarely causes problems. (The Atlantic)

MoCo focus on taxis

Montgomery County can’t regulate ride-hailing companies because the state is taking care of it. However, it can regulate taxis. The county council is taking up regulations hoping to help taxis compete with Uber and Lyft. (WAMU)

Feeling Whole

After nearly a decade of planning, Whole Foods is coming to Prince George’s County. The grocery store will anchor hundreds of townhouses, apartments, retail, and office space, all of which could bolster downtown University Park.  (Post)

Gondolas are legit

Cities all over the world are adding gondolas to their transit networks. They’re less expensive than subways and railways and can simply cruise over poorly-planned streets, and tourists love them too. (The Guardian)

And…

Eckington has one of the world’s 16 coolest playgrounds. (Mentalfloss)… Marco Rubio and his wife are terrible drivers. (NYT)… It’s the biggest Montgomery County map ever! (@MCBikePlan)… Metro’s 7000 series cars are running on the Red Line. (WJLA)